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WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


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CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
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Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag6e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pellicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


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The 
to  tl 


The 
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Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqu6  ci-dessous 

10X                            14X                            18X                            22X 

26X 

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12X 

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The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanics 
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6es 


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empreinte. 

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symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


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Adventures  of  Two  Youths  in  tlie  Open  I'olur  Sea 


TlIK  VOVAGK  OK  TIIK  '^VIVIAN" 


TO 


THE  NORTH  POLE  AND  BEVOiND 


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By  THOMAS  W.  KNOX 

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•THR  BOY  TRAVEM.EnS  IN  THE  KAR  EAST"  "THE  VOl'NG  NIMRODS"  ETC 

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>1 : . 


NEW    YORK 

HAHPKR    &    BROTHERS,    FRANKLIN    SQUARK 

18  8  5 


Entered  according;  to  Aet  of  roiiRrcss.  in  tlie  veftr  18«4. 1,y 
IIAKPKK     .V     liUOTIIKHS, 


I"  the  Office  of  the   Lihnuian   of  Coi 


iffiesii,  at   Wasliin<rton. 


Alt  rights  reserved. 


PREFACE. 


.«!( 


FOR  nearly  four  centuries  the  arctic  regions  have  been  an  interesting 
field  for  explorers,  and  public  attention  1ms  been  frequently  drawn  to 
the  vov.'iges  and  travels  that  have  been  made  in  the  zones  of  ice  and  snow. 
The  fresh  interest  given  to  polar  study  by  the  story  of  the  Jeannette  and 
the  work  of  Lieutenant  Greely,  on  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  has  led  to  the 
preparation  of  the  present  volume.  It  is  especially  intended  for  youthful 
readers,  but  the  author  indulges  the  hope  that  those  of  mature  yeai-s  may 
find  instruction  and  amusement  in  its  pages.  He  has  pursued  the  ])lan 
■which  met  with  favor  in  his  previous  works,  and  endeavored  to  present  an 
array  of  facts  upon  a  groundwork  of  fiction,  in  the  same  manner  as  in 
"  The  l>oy  Travellei's  in  the  Far  East."  lie  trusts  that  the  youths  who  fol- 
lowed the  fortunes  of  Frank  and  Fred  in  their  many  wanderings  will  give 
a  kindly  welcome  to  "The  Voyage  of  the  Vivian"  and  its  young  heroes. 

The  ship  and  its  crew  are  fictitious,  but  the  scenes  of  the  voyage,  and 
the  incidents  and  adventures  herein  described,  are  intended  to  be  realities. 
They  have  been  mainly  derived  from  the  experiences  of  explorers,  from 
the  time  of  Martin  Frobisher  down  to  the  progent  date.  It  was  the  author's 
design  to  introduce  all  the  important  incidents  of  arctic  voyages,  together 
with  the  most  recent  scientific  discoveries,  into  a  sinijle  nari-ative.  The 
portion  of  the  voyage  from  Herald  Island  to  the  North-pole,  and  thence  to 
Grant  Land,  is  wholly  imaginary.  (The  writer  believes  that  the  sea  around 
the  pole  is  open  in  sunnner,  and  will  yet  be  reached  by  a  shij)  fortunate 
enough  to  find  an  opening  through  the  icy  barrier  whicii  surrounds  it.) 
Thus  believing,  he  has  permitted  the  Vivian  and  Gamhettd  to  pierce  the 
barrier,  and  explore  the  islands  and  waters  which  are  as  yet  concealed 
from  mortal  vision.  lie  asks  the  literal  reader  to  remember  that  from 
Chapters  XII.  to  XVIL,  inclusive,  the  geographical  positions  of  the  ex- 
plorers are  not  to  be  regarded  as  actualities. 

Many  works  jf  arctic  navigators  and  tra''ellei's  have  been  consulted  in 
the  preparation  of  the  book.     The  history  of  polar  exploration  has  been 


8 


PREFACE. 


carefully  studied,  from  the  voyages  of  John  and  Sebastian  Cabot,  in  1497, 
down  to  the  most  recent  publications  in  England  and  America.  Many  of 
the  authorities  are  given  in  the  text  of  the  book.  The  author  acknowledges 
his  personal  obligations  to  Professor  J.  E.  Noui*se,  author  of  "American 
Explorations  in  the  Ice -zones,"  and  other  works;  to  Lieutenant  Lucien 
Young,  of  the  United  States  Navy ;  and  ,  •  Deputy  Inspector-general  Robert 
M'Cormick,  of  the  Royal  Navy  of  England.  He  is  also  indebted  to  the 
courtesy  of  his  publishers  for  their  kind  permission  to  make  use  of  illustra- 
tions that  have  appeared  in  their  previous  publications  relative  to  the  arctic 
regions  and  tlie  adventures  of  polar  explorers. 

With  this   brief  explanation   of  his   motives,  and   plan  of  work,  the 
author  submits  "The  Voyage  of  the  Vivian''''  for  the  inspection  of  press 

and  public. 

T.  W.  K. 

Xkw  Youk,  Jmir,  ]  884. 


( 


P.S. — The  pages  of  tins  l)ook  had  been  printed  and  made  ready  for 
binding  when,  on  the  17th  of  July,  the  country  was  electrified  with  the 
news  of  the  rescue  of  Lieutetumt  Greely,  at  Cape  Sabine,  on  the  22d  of 
the  previoii';  month.  Sorrow  was  mingled  with  joy  when  it  was  learned 
that  out  of  the  twenty-three  companions  of  the  heroic  explorer  only  five 
survived;  eighteen  had  perished  of  cold  and  starvation,  and  if  the  relief 
expedition  had  been  forty-eight  hours  later  in  arriving  at  Capo  Sabine 
not  one  would  have  been  found  alive ! 

Lieutenant  Greely's  expedition  has  added  materially  to  the  work  of 
previous  explorers.  The  coimtry  to  the  east  and  west  of  Lady  Franklin 
Bay  has  been  examined,  and  a  large  extent  of  coast-line  carefully  sur- 
veyed ;  valuable  meteorological  observations  have  been  recorded  ;  iinporr 
taut  additions  arc  made  to  the  map  of  Northern  Greenland  and  the  Polar 
P)asin ;  and  the  believei"s  in  an  open  sea  around  the  Pole  have  received 
fresh  support  to  their  theories.  The  flag  of  the  United  States  has  floated 
nearer  to  the  Pole  thaji  that  of  any  other  nation.  In  May,  1883,  it  was 
unfurled  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood  in  latitude  83°  24'  30"  N.,  longitude 
40°  45'  W.  Li  the  friendly  contest  in  polar  ex[)lorations  the  honors 
luive  been  transferred  from  England  to  America,  but  tlio  whole  Avorld 
Avill  share  in  the  additions  which  have  been  nuide  to  our  knowlctlge  of 
tliG  far  North. 

T.  W.  K. 

New  Youk,  Aiipi»i  1.  1684. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PABB 

TiiK  DKPAnTtTRE.— Bound  for  the  Xortii.— Description  of  the  Party 13 

CHAPTER  II. 

At  Sea.— Stories  from  the  Arctic  Regions „. 

CHAPTER  III. 

Provisions  tor  an  Arctic  Voyage.— Whales  and  Whalers 40 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Meeting  a  Stranger.— Something  about  Kamchatka 

CHAPTER  V. 

A  Visit  to  Kamchatka 

67 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Behrino's  Island  and  Behring's  Voyages.-Amono  the  Chjckchees gl 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Chuckchees  and  Koraks.— International  Festivities 

• yo 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
From  Siberia  to  Wrangell  Island.-Icebergs  and  a  Bear-hunt „  1 

CHAPTER  IX. 
A  Visit  to  Wrangell  Island.-Hunting  Seals,  Walruses,  and  Polar  Bears 127 

CHAPTER  X. 
Herald  Island.-Caught  in  the  Ice.-A  Narrow  Escape ^^^ 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Fast  in  the  Ice.— Going  into  Winter-quarters 

154 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XII.  p^Q, 

DiSAPPEARANCK    OF  THE    SfN. — INCIDENTS   OK   IIlUERNATION. — TlIK    ArilOnA    BOREALIS 169 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

ClIRISTUAS   AND    NeW-YEAR   FESTIVITIES. — ENTERTAINMENTS. — ThE  "(iAMBETTA"    ON   YiRE 185 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Arctic  Newspapers  and  Comedies. — DRitTiNu  with  the  Ice. — Discovering  Land 200 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Land  Visited  and  Explored. — Perilous  Journey. — The  Ships  in  Danger 4.,..  213 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Escape  from  the  Ice. — In  the  Open  Polau  Sea.— Steaming  and  Sailing  to  the  North..  228 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Icebergs  and  Glaciers. — "La  Terre  Lafayette." — The  "Vivian"  at  the  Pole 242 

CHAPTER  XVIIL 
Discoveries  at  the  Pole. — Leaving  the  Polar  Sea. — Escape  through  the  Ice-barrier..  267 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
The  Signal  Service  Station. — From  Littleton  Island  to  Upernavik  .,.,.,.,.,.,....,.  273 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Sights  in  Greenland. — News  from  Hom:£. — End  of  the  Voyage  ,...,,, i.m*. ......  288 


t  i 


I  ; 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Rounding  the  Pole Fvont'mpiece 

Map  to  Acconipiiny  the  Voyage  of  the  Vivian Front  Cover 

Map  of  tlie  I'ohir  Regions Rear  Cover 


Outward  Bound 13 

Among  tlie  Icebergs 14 

Arctic  Diricovery  Ships 1(5 

Tlie  "Old  Stone  Mill  "  at  Newport 19 

Scene  in  Southern  (Jreenland 20 

Norse  Ruins  in  Greenland 21 

Frobisher  Helics 22 

Sir  John  Ross  28 

Relics  of  Sir  John  Franklin's  Expedition  ...  27 

Captain  Hall  Among  the  Eskimos 28 

Discovery  of  a  Boat  of  the  Franklin  Exjie- 

ditioii 29 

Travelling  by  Sledge 31 

Ice-drift  of  the  Tyson  Party  .  .    32 

The  Cabin  of  the  "  Resolute  " 33 

An  Iceberg  from  Greenland 35 

The  Barrier  of  Ice 36 

Arctic  Birds 37 

Over  the  Ice 42 

Native  and  European  Dress  Contrasted 43 

An  Incident  of  the  Whale-fishery 40 

Lookout  on  an  Iceberg 47 

Captain  Scoresby 50 

A  Nimrod  of  the  Sea 31 

A  Carcass  Adrift 53 

Petropavlovsk,  Kamchatka    57 

Volcanoes  of  Koriatski,  Avatcha,  and  Koseld- 

skai 59 

Fort  St.  Michaer?,  or  Michaelovski 61 

Kamchatka  Sables 62 

Mounted  Cossacks 64 

A  Village  on  the  Amoor  River 65 

Russian  Carpenters 06 

Avatcha  Moimtain 68 

Churcli  at  Petropavlovsk 70 

Dog-sledging  in  Kamchatka 71 


PAOK 

Dogs  Catching  Fish 73 

Getting  Ready  for  the  Road 75 

Boat  Towed  by  Dogs 76 

Monument  to  Behring,  Petropavlov.sk 78 

"  The  Three  Brothers  " 80 

The  Ermine 81 

X  Siberian  Fox-trap 82 

Sitka,  or  New  Archangel 85 

A  Chuckchee  Boat 85 

Walrus  Hunting  among  the  Chuckchees  . .  .  89 

Scenery  near  East  Cape 91 

FJrccting  a  Chuckchee  Summer-house  .    ...  93 

A  (Jroup  of  Reindeer 95 

A  Reindeer  Sled 97 

Baron  Von  Wrangell 9!) 

Locked  in  the  Ice 101 

A  Summer  Village  in  the  Arctic  Regions  .  .  104 

A  Portrait 105 

A  Korak  Beau  106 

A  Korak  Belle 107 

A  Ball  on  Shipboard 108 

"  All  Hands  Round  " 108 

"  Balance  " 109 

Flower-gi'l 109 

Fish-woman 1 09 

The  Cook 110 

A  Gothic  Iceberg Ill 

View  of  Icebergs 114 

On  an  Ice-pack 115 

Where  an  Iceberg  is  Formed 117 

Vertical  Section  of  a  Glacier 118 

In  Front  of  a  Greenland  Glacier 119 

The  Bear  »t  Bay 121 

Scene  in  Front  of  the  Island 1 25 

Winter-quarters  of  Barentz  Three  Hundred 

126 


Years  Ago . 


I 


12 


ILLUSTUATIONS. 


t  1 

I 


I  I 


Fcniiilo  Rear  and  Cuba 

The  Auk  at  Home 

A  Fi},'lit  with  till!  Seals 

Hunting  tlie  Walrus 

Iloistiiip;  the  Flag 

The  Siherian  Mannnotii 

The  Maniiiioth  Ucstored 

Kxploriiif;  the  Coast .  .  .  . 

()i>  Shoie  in  the  Far  N'orth 

Under  the  Midni<;lit  Sun 

Near  the  lee-paek 

Cabin  Scene  in  an  Arctic  Winter 

Edg(!  of  the  Ice-pack 

Ice  in  Motion  

In  an  Arctic  Gale 

Hummocks  Afloat 

How  a  Hummock  is  J'onned 

Moored  to  an  Ice-floe 

Chasing  a  Hear  on  the  Ico 

A  Village  of  Snow-huts 

Eskimo  Stone  Lamp  and  Fire 

A  Hut  Submerged 

Walruses  on  the  Ice 

Arctic  Wolves 

In  Winter-ijnarters , 

Perils  of  the  Polar  Sea 

Greenland  Native  Watching  for  a  Seal  .  .  .  . 

Sunset  Scene  in  the  Arctic  Circle 

Captain  C.  F.  Ha'l,  with  Two  Eskimo  Com- 
panions   

An  Arctic  Aurora    

Geographical  Distribution  of  Auroras 

Fred's  Electric  Nursery 

Arches  of  Auroral  Light 

A  Polar  Hear  failing  to  Sec  the  Point 


I'AOK 

135 

i;{7 

138 
139 
140 
141 
143 
144 
145 
146 
147 
14!) 
152 
1 53 


The  Old  Way  of  Melting  Snow 

The  Captain's  Souvenir  of  Christmas 

"Tiie  little  Captain  ....  stirred  the  posset 

with  his  sword  " 

Performance  on  the  Vivian 

George's  "  Punch  and  Judy  " 

A  Fire  on  Shipboard 

Frozen  In 

Captain  Parry 

Carolus  Slyfoxsky 

A  Character 

A  Character  in  the  French  Play 

On  the  Level  Ice 

Ice-log,  Line,  and  Reel 

In  Camp 


159 
ICl 
103 
104 
107 
108 
170 
171 
173 
175 

177 
180 
182 
183 
184 
186 
187 
189 

191 
193 
194 
197 
199 
203 
204 
204 
205 
211 
212 
215 


I  PAOK 

Crossing  a  Crevasse  on  a  Bridge  of  Ice. . . .  217 

I  A  Musk-ox 219 

I  Ducks  on  President  Land 220 

The  "  Devil's  Thumb,"  near  Melville  Hay. . .  221 

An  Em])ty  Sledge 222 

Coast  Scene  in  the  Arctic  Circle 224 

A  Shelter  from  the  Ice 226 

Effect  of  an  Arctic  Gale 227 

j  Near  the  Ice 229 

I  The  North  Foreland 231 

I  Cliuibing  an  Ice-collar 232 

I  The  Lunune  of  the  Nin-th 233 

View  from  Tonncr's  Island 235 

French  Head 237 

Exploring  the  Channel 239 

Curious  Appearance  of  the  Sun 241 

The  Belted  Iceberg 243 

A  Snow-sipiaU  among  the  Icebergs 245 

Shooting  Lummc 247 

View  in  Lafayette  Land 249 

An  Arctic  Volcano 251 

A  View  through  the  Clouds 253 

"  Ne  Plus  Ultra  " 256 

An  Unwelcome  Visitor 258 

Marking  a  Carrier-pigeon 259 

A  Volcanic  Eruption 261 

A  Whale-ship  in  Winter-quarters 264 

Grave  of  Captain  Hall 265 

The  Burial  of  Captain  Hall 267 

Map  of  Smith  Sound,  &e 209 

Dr.  I.  I.  Hayes 270 

Polaris  Camp 272 

Eskimo  in  Winter  Dress 270 

Separation  of  the  Polarin  and  the  Floe  Party  277 

An  Eskimo  Afloat 279 

Somersault  in  a  Kjack 279 

The  most  Northern  House  on  the  Globe  . . .  281 

A  Greenland  Governor 282 

The  Governor's  Residence 283 

A  Greenland  Parliament  in  Session 284 

Julianshaab,  Capital  of  (irec:iland 285 

Ships  loading  with  Kryolite  at  Iviktut,  Green- 
land    286 

f]ntering  a  Harbor  in  Greenland 287 

An  Oomiak 289 

The  Oomiak  and  its  Crew 290 

Upernavik 291 

The  Inspector  and  his  Family 292 

The  New  Arrival 294 

Reykjavik,  Iceland 296 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE  DEPARTURE.— BOUND  FOR  THE  NORTH.— DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PARTY. 

"  \  LL  ready  tliere  ?" 
-^^       "  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  was  the  rei)ly. 

"  dp  with  the  anchor!'' 

The  capstan  went  slowly  round,  propelled  by  the  arms  of  twenty 
men ;  the  anchor  left  its  bed  at  the  bottom  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  and 
as  the  cabl*:  shortened  till  it  \nmix  straight  down  from  the  bows  of  the 
vessel,  the  order  "  Go  ahead  slow !"  was  shouted  to  the  en<^inecr,  who  stood 
at  his  post  below.  The  machinery  respond'id  to  his  touch,  and  the  whirl- 
ing screw  churned  a  ^.ijreat  breadth  of  discolored  foam  around  the  stern 
of  the  Vloian.  Soon  she  was  plou*ijhing  her  way  throiii>h  the  water,  turn- 
ing now  to  port  and  now  to  starbo-ird  to  avoid  collisions  with  anchored 
or  moving  craft  in  the  harbor 
of  the  great  city  by  the  west- 
ern sea. 

The  ships  at  the  docks  or 
in  the  bay  dipped  their  flags; 
the  steamers,  great  and  small, 
sounded  their  whistles  pitched 
to  all  the  notes  of  the  chromat- 
ic scale ;  camion  boomed  from 
their  embrasures  on  Alcatraz 
Island  and  the  other  defences 
of  the  city;  and  a  military  band 

on  a  steamboat  which  followed  closely  in  tlie  wake  of  the  Vivian  filled 
the  air  with  its  music.  The  decks  of  the  steamboat  were  black  with  people 
who  kept  up  a  perpetual  waving  of  handkerchiefs  and,  in  the  pauses  of 
the  band,  replaced  the  music  with  shouts  and  cheers  of  farewell. 


OUTWAUD   BOUND. 


ll 
il 

'1 

i 
I 

i 
If 


;3 


14 


THE  VOYAGK  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


Without  a  pause  tlio  departing  vessel  lield  her  way  to  tlic  Golden 
Galo;  then  she  stopped  her  en<ifiiie.s  to  permit  the  departure  of  the  pilot, 
tonjc'tluM"  with  several  j^entleiiien  who  had  aeeompanied  her  coiniiiander 
fiom  the  anchorai^e  in  the  harbor.  The  crowd  on  the  steamboat  cheered 
more  loudly  than  ever;   the  i)and  played  aijain,  its   notes  prowini^  less 


AMONG   TIIK    ICEUKKGS. 


distinct  at  every  pulsation  of  the  engine,  as  the  Vivian  headed  away 
into  the  open  ocean  and  left  the  shores  of  California  fading  in  the  dis- 
tance. And  to  many  on  the  deck  of  the  steandjoat,  as  she  I'eturned  to 
San  Francisco,  the  quer}*  arose,  "  Shall  we  ever  see  her  again  ?" 

The  Vivian  was  bound  on  a  voyage  to  the  arctic  seas ;  she  added 
a  unit  to  the  number  of  those  that  have  sailed  in  quest  of  the  Xorth-pole. 

It  was  not  her  first  visit  to  the  regions  of  ice,  although  she  had  never 
before  gone  in  the  character  of  an  explorer.  Originally  she  was  built 
for  a  whaler :  as  the  whale  has  been  driven  from  the  open  ocean,  it  has 
been  necessary  for  those  who  desire  his  oil  to  follow  him  to  his  retreat 
in  the  region  of  perpetual  ice.  In  the  early  part  of  this  century,  atid 
down  to  thirty  years  ago,  the  huntsmen  of  the  sea  found  their  prey  in  the 
broad  expanse  of  the  Pacific  and  Atlantic  oceans.  But  in  these  latter 
days  the  whale  is  not  to  be  found  in  his  former  haunts,  and  even  in  the 


THE  DErAUTUKE. 


15 


far  North  he  is  by  no  rneuiis  tibnnclant.  The  successful  hunters  must 
pursue  hhn  where  ice  iihounds  through  the  etitne  year,  and  only  dnring 
a  few  mouths  in  sutnuier  is  it  sufficiently  open  for  ships  to  tind  a  way 
through  it.  Frequently  the  whuie-ships  are  nipi»ed  in  the  ice,  ami  a  craft 
of  ordinary  construction  would  be  speedily  crushed  and  destroyed. 

"She  was  just  as  strong  as  wood  and  iion  could  make  her,"  said  the 


former  owner  of  the    Vivian. 


u  'P 


That 


IS, 


mean 


si 


le   was   one   o 


f  tl 


le 


strongest  whalers  ever  launched,  and  that  is  saying  a  good  deal. 


all  h 


"She  is  a  bark  of  490  tons,  old  measurement;  her  ribs  and  all  nor 
timbers  were  t..e  best  wo  could  find ;  her  sides  were  twenty  inches  thick, 
and  we  covered  her  with  extra  plaiddng  till  she  looked  as  though  she  had 
put  on  an  ulster  overcoat  for  a  sleigh-ride.  For  ten  feet  back  from  her 
stem  the  bow  was  solid  oak,  and  then  she  was  braced  all  through  with 
timbers,  so  that  no  ordinary  pressure  could  break  hei-  in. 

"  We  christened  her  the  Fanny.  She  lias  made  five  voyages  to  the 
Arctic  Ocean,  and  come  home  every  time  full  of  oil,  and  not  a  man  in- 
jured. IJnt  she  had  some  narrow  chances  in  the  ice,  and  two  or  three 
times  it  looked  as  though  her  crew  never  would  sec  laud  again." 

We  shall  hear  more  of  the  adventures  of  this  tough  little  craft,  as  her 
former  captain  is  now  her  sailing-master.  When  she  left  San  Francisco, 
as  described  in  our  opening  lines,  she  was  owned  by  some  wealthy  gentle- 
men of  that  city,  who  had  subscribed  a  sufficient  amount  to  purchase 
and  fit  her  out  for  a  voyage  of  exploration. 

"What  shall  we  call  her?"  was  a  question  in  dispute  for  several  days, 
as  each  of  her  joint -owners  had  a  pet  name  wliich  ho  wished  to  have 
adopted. 

Masculine  names  were  voted  out  of  order  on  account  of  the  feminine 
character  of  a  ship.  The  dictionary  was  consulted,  and  also  the  long  list 
of  ships  that  have  been  in  the  arctic  regions;  finally,  it  was  agreed 
to  call  her  the  Vivian. 

"Couldn't  be  bett  r,"  said  Captain  Jones,  who  formerly  commanded 
her,  wiien  the  result  of  the  deliberation  was  reported  to  him.  "No  ship 
of  that  name  ever  passed  the  Arctic  Circle ;  besides,  you  say  that  Vivian 
means  '  lively,'  and  when  she's  in  a  rough  sea  I  don't  know  of  a  livelier 
craft  than  the  old  FannyP 

In  spite  of  her  excellent  qualifications  for  an  arctic  voyage,  it  was 
determined  to  improve  upon  them  to  a  considerable  extent.  The  solid 
bows  were  extended  about  five  feet  faither  aft  than  they  were  originally ; 
additional  braces  were  placed  throughout  the  hull;  the  bow  was  plated 
with  steel  half  an  inch  thick  to  within  a  foot  of  the  rail,  and  the  rest  of 


1(] 


Tin:  VOYAGE    OF  TIIK  "VIVIAN." 


the  hull  received  n  steel  pliitinj^  tliree-ei<^litliH  of  an  iiicli  thick  from  the 
water-line  (h)\vnwar(l.  TIiuh  prepared,  it  was  thought  she  could  resist  a 
pressure  sutlicient  to  lift  her  bodily  from  the  water  without  straining  her 
enough  to  o[)en  her  seams  and  start  a  leak. 

New  sails  were  hent  to  her  yards,  and  an  extra  new  set  was  stowed 
below;  in  addition  to  these,  she  had  her  old  sails,  which  were  laid  away 
in  the  hold.  Thus  she  was  provided  with  three  sets  of  canvas  to  guard 
against  accidents;  and,  even  if  they  were  not  needed  for  their  legitimate 
purposes,  the  sails  would  come  handy  to  cut  ni>  into  tents  for  camping  on 
the  ice  or  on  land. 


ARCTIC    DliiCOVERY    SHIPS. 


Her  engines  were  not  intended  for  steady  use  at  sea;  slie  was  to  relv 
on  her  sails  under  ordinary  circumstances,  and  only  make  use  of  steam 
when  emergencies  required.  Four  hours  after  she  had  dropped  the  pilot 
at  the  Golden  Gate  the  engines  were  stopped,  the  lires  were  extinguished, 
and  all  canvas  was  spi-ead  to  bear  the  Vivian  northward  to  her  destina- 
tion. The  wind  was  blowing  doA'n  the  coast,  and  almost  directly  in  the 
track  the  bark  was  to  follow ;  constv^ncntly,  she  M'as  obliged  to  stretch 
away  to  the  westward  and  make  a  long  "  leg  "  by  which  to  beat  up  towards 
Bell  ring  Strait. 

Three  persons  on  the  deck  of  the  Vivian  watched  intently  the  reced- 


THK  COMMANDKK   AND   HIS  Sl'HOKIUNATKH.  17 

ini;  shore  a-*  tlio  luirk  hv\d  lior  coiirso.  OtluTft  would  Imvc  watcIuMl  with 
them  hiid  they  not  Iiimmi  (»c(Mii)iL'(l  with  tho  w<ti'k  of  clfjirini;  tht;  (ItJcks, 
jiiid  iirniniriiii:  «uiidrv  paitkaijcs  which  were  Iviiii^  iiit'oiiveiiieiitlv  about. 
l*i(»l»ahly  no  M\)  ever  sailed  from  port  for  a  lonn;  voyage  without  having 
iniuth  to  put  in  order  as  soon  as  slie  got  away  from  hmd. 

Tlic  trio  in  whi(;h  we  are  sj)e(;ially  interested  were  the  eomnumdcr 
of  tlie  expeditit)!!  and  two  young  men  whom  ho  had  selected  to  aeeom- 
pany  him.  And,  while  we  are  on  the  subject,  we  may  m  well  give  a  brief 
description  of  tho  princii)al  characters  in  the  story  we  are  about  to 
narrate. 

First  aiul  foremost  was  the  gentleman  to  whoso  energy  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  expedition  was  dtic,  Connnander  IJronson,  formerly  an  otlicer 
in  tho  IFuited  States  Navy.  lie  had  already  made  two  voyages  to  the 
Arctic  Ocean  in  an  effort  to  reach  tho  pole,  and  add  to  the  discoveries 
of  other  explorers,  lie  was  a  cousin  of  Dr.  IJronson,  with  whom  some  of 
the  readers  of  this  volume  may  bo  familiar,  and  i)ossessed  all  tho  good 
(pialities  of  that  indefatigable  traveller.* 

Second  in  command  was  Major  Clapp,  who  had  been  granted  a  leave 
of  abseiure  from  his  regiment,  with  which  ho  had  been  lighting  Indians 
on  our  northern  frontier.  His  army  rank  was  that  of  first  lieutenant, 
but  for  the  purposes  of  this  expedition  he  I'cceived  the  commission  of 
a  Major  of  Volunteers  from  the  Governor  of  California. 

Third  and  fourth  were  Alfred  Chapman  and  (leorge  Uridgman,  two 
young  men  who  had  just  graduated  fron)  college,  where  they  were  etpuilly 
renowned  for  standing  high  in  their  classes  and  distinguishing  themselves 
in  all  the  athletic  sports  that  were  encouraged  by  tho  professors.  Alfred, 
or  Fred  as  he  was  better  known,  had  rowed  "stroke"  in  the  last  boat-race 
(wherein  the  rival  college  was  badly  beaten),  and  George  was  without 
a  superior  in  running,  leaping,  and  in  tlie  national  game  of  base -ball. 
They  had  never  visited  the  far  Xortb,  but  had  spent  a  good  deal  of  time 
out-of-doors  in  winter  and  thereby  accustomed  themselves  to  the  cold. 

As  we  have  before  said,  the  sailing-master  was  the  former  captain 
of  the  Vivian  when  she  rejoiced  in  the  name  of  tho  Fanny.  He  was 
allowed  to  retain  his  title,  and  therefore  we  shall  know  him  as  Captain 
Jones. 

Dr.  Tomier  was  the  surgeon  and  historian  of  the  expedition,  and,  as 
he  had  a  fondness  for  matters  of  science,  be  was  intrusted  with  the  col- 

*  "The  Boy  Travellera  in  the  Fur  East:"  Adventures  of  Two  Yoiitlis  in  Japan,  Ciiina,  Siani, 
Java,  the  Philippine  Islands,  Burniah,  Ceylon,  India,  Egypt,  the  Holy  Land,  and  Central  Africa. 
Five  volume-,  published  by  Harper  &  Brothers,  New  York. 

2 


i  V 


18 


TIIK   VOYACJE  OF  TIIK   -VIVIAN.' 


loctloii  of  iiiiiionilH,  plants,  m\\\  bucIi  natural  history  ppocimoiiH  ns  iiiii^ht 
bo  wortli  proseivinj^.  JIo  was  c's[)t'(riallj  eaiitiuiitiil  not  to  waste  liis  time 
in  Kkinnin<;  and  stwt}in<.;  polar  l)eai's,  aictit;  foxes,  seals,  and  other  well- 
known  prodiiets  of  the  far  North.  "  Vou  may  brin^  l)a(;k  the  eai-s  of  the 
bears  and  foxes  as  troi)hies,"  said  the  eoinniander, "  but,  as  to  loadiiii;  the 
ship  with  s|>eeiniens  that  aboinid  in  all  the  iniiseutns,  we  witiTt  think  of  it/* 

The  eiew  of  twenty  men  had  been  earefnlly  sehseted  from  a  {jfreat 
innnber  of  applicants.  All  were  comparatively  yoim<^,  and  at  least  twelve 
of  them  had  been  to  the  North  on  whalinj?  voyages,  and  knew  something 
of  the  dangei-s  and  hardships  of  the  journey  before  them.  We  shall  be- 
come better  aetpiainted  with  the  entire  party  as  time  goes  on. 

Major  ('lapp  was  occupied  with  the  stowing  of  the  cargo,  so  that  Com- 
mander Jhonson  was  left  with  Fred  and  (ieorgo  to  watch  the  land  and 
talk  of  the  subject  that  was  uppermost  in  their  minds.  Dr.  Tonner  was 
busy  with  the  journal  of  the  expedition,  and  determined  to  record  the 
incidents  of  their  departure  before  he  had  time  to  forget  anything.  We 
are  indebted  to  his  notes  for  much  that  we  shall  present  in  this  volume. 

"  I  have  not  had  time  to  explain  fully  the  plans  of  the  expedition," 
said  the  commander, "  and  we  may  as  well  devote  our  leisure  to  them 
now.  Dr.  Toi.iier  has  the  whole  story  in  his  jomnal,  and  as  soon  as  he 
comes  on  deck  wo  will  have  him  read  it  over  to  us." 

Fred  and  George  nodded  assent,  as  they  could  hardly  do  otherwise, 
and  the  conversation  turned  to  other  than  arctic  topics  till  the  doctor 
appeared.  When  the  desire  of  Connnander  IJronson  was  made  known 
to  him,  Dr.  Tonner  went  for  his  journal  and  proceeded  to  read  its  open- 
ing pages.  They  contained  a  brief  history  of  arctic  and  antarctic  explo- 
ration, and  included  many  names  that  have  become  famous  in  history. 

Before  beginning  to  read  fron>  his  journal,  the  doctor  requested  his 
listeners  not  to  be  reluctant  about  asking  questions,  as  he  wished  to  luake 
every  point  perfectly  clear  to  all  of  them.  They  agreed  to  the  suggestion, 
and,  as  it  was  fully  carried  out,  the  perusal  of  the  journal  took  the  form 
of  a  dialogue,  and  resulted  in  the  young  men  learning  a  great  deal  that 
they  did  not  know  before. 

"A  good  many  people  believe,"  began  the  Doctor, "that  the  discovery 
(»f  America  by  Europeans  was  made  from  the  arctic  regions,  and  not  by 
Columbus  in  his  celebrated  voyage  from  Spain." 

"I  have  read  something  about  it,"  said  Fred, "  but  had  forgotten  the 
fact  till  this  moment." 

"Nearly  five  hundred  years  before  the  time  of  Columbus,"  continued 
the  Doctor,  "  a  Norwegian  voyager  came  from  Iceland  to  the  coast  of 


THE  NOKTHMLN. 


19 


-•rill-".         __  4  .*-^_^j 


"-^^^ii^^Vv::"": 


THK    ''OM)   STOSK    MILL"    AT    NKWl'OUT. 


XortU  America,  wliich  lie  tlcsccmled  as  far  ponth  as  Mapsaelinsctts  and 
Ilhode  Island — at  least  such  is  the  account.  He  named  the  country  Yin- 
land,  owini^  to  tiie  larjije  number  of  vines  that  ho  found  f]jro\vin£;  wild,  and 
he  is  credited  with  the  construction  of  the  Old  Stone  Mill  at  Newport. 
There  has  been  a  ji^reat  deal  of  discussion  about  the  antiquity  of  the  ohl 
mill,  and  its  origin  is  not  yet  fully  settled;  but  the  claim  for  its  construc- 
tion by  the  Northmen  has  a  largo  number  of  supjwrters.  Whether  they 
built  the  mill  or  not,  it  is  pretty  certain  that  they  visited  the  coast  of 
North  America,  and  on  their  return  told  what  they  had  seen.  About 
that  time  the  Northmen  explored  Baffin's  Bay,  where  they  built  monu- 
ments which  were  discovered  in  the  early  ])art  of  the  present  century. 
They  established  colonies  on  the  coast  of  Greenland  which  existed  for 


20 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


llHi 


>li 


i,  i  j 

J 
I 


IH 


11    M 


4! 


i-r^ 


several  Imiulred  years,  and  can  still  be  traced  in  tiie  "•iiins  of  buildings 
where  the  villages  stood. 

"  They  also  made  settlements  on  the  shores  of  Si)itxbei'gen,  and  their 
expeditions  were  pushed  far  to  the  north  in  piu'suit  of  whales,  seals,  and 
other  ])r()duets  of  the  sea.  In  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  centuries  these 
colonies  flourished,  and  wo  may  credit  the  Northmen  with  being  the  first 
explorers  beyond  the  Arctic  Circle." 

One  of  the  youths  asked  if  tae  Northmen  left  any  history  of  their 
discoveries. 

"  They  did  not,"  was  the  reply,  "  except  a  few  fragmentary  records 
in  some  of  the  old  chronicles  of  Iceland  and  Norway  which  tell  the 
adventures  of  Eric  the  Red  and  his  sons.  Eric  planted  the  colonies  in 
Greenland,  and  his  son  Leif  made  the  first  vovaore  to  Newfoundland  and 
the  coast  of  New  England.  The  Icelandic  chronicles  mention  other  voy- 
ages to  the  same  region,  and  their 
it     -      Jf    >v.    -^^  stories  are   confirmed   by  Adam  of 

Bremen  and  bv  Nicolo  Zeno,  a  Ve- 
netian,  who  went  to  Greenland  near 
the  end  of  the  fourteenth  centurv, 
and  heard  while  there  about  a  great 
country  to  the  west  and  south.     Ac- 
cording to  one  account  he  visited  the 
country   he   described ;    and,  if  the 
story  is  true,  the  Venetian  Zeno  stood 
on  the  soil  of  America  a  century  in 
advance  of  the  Genoese  Columbus." 
"  What  a  perfect  cyclopaedia  of 
knowledge  the  Doctor  is,"  said  Fred, 
in  a  whisper  to  George. 
"Yes,"  replied  the  latter,  "and   I  shouldn't  wonder  if  his  cabin  is 
stuffed  full  of  cyclopiicdias  and  all  the  latest  works  on  arctic  exploration. 
I  hope  so,  at  any  rate,  as  we  can  best  accomplish  the  objects  of  our  voyage 
by  knowing  what  others  have  done  before  us." 

"  Tho  Cabots,  John  and  Sebastian,  in  1497,  were  the  next  explorers  of 
the  arctic  seas,  as  they  projected  a  voyage  to  the  North-pole,  and  hoped 
to  go  around  America  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  They  went  beyond  the  sixty- 
seventh  degree  of  latitude,  having  previously  visited  Labrador,  but  were 
turned  back  by  the  ice  in  Davis's  Strait.  They  may  be  said  to  have  been 
the  first  seekers  for  the  nortii-west  passage,  and  have  had  many  imitators 
no  more  successful  than  themselves." 


SCKNE  IN  SOUTHERN  GREENLAND. 


!  I' 


AN   ANCIENT  CllUHClI. 


21 


buildino;s 


\m\  their 

icals,  and 

ies  these 

the  first 

of  their 

'  records 
tell  the 
lollies  ill 
hind  and 
tlier  voy- 
iiid  their 
\dani  of 
10,  a  Ye- 
and  near 
centurv, 
t  a  great 
til.  Ac- 
sited  the 
:1,  if  the 
jno  stood 
nitury  in 
uiiibus." 
3j)edia  of 
lid  Fred, 

cabin  is 
)lonition. 
r  Ncyago 

lorers  of 
d  hoped 
he  sixty- 
)at  were 
five  been 
imitators 


i 


22 


THE   VOYAGE  OF   THE   "VIVIAN." 


:1 !  i  1 


rnOBISHEK  RELICS. 


"I  have  a  lonj;  list  here,"  continued  Dr.  Tonner,  "of  the  early  advent- 
urers in  the  arctic  regions,  and  what  they  endeavored  to  accomplish. 
Unhappily,  the  story  is  in  many  cases  a  story  of  disaster,  and  it  is  a  credit 
to  the  courage  and  persistence  of  mankind  that  where  many  have  failed 

others  are  always  ready  to  come  for- 
ward to  lill  their  places.  The  battle 
for  the  pole  v/ill  never  cease  till 
some  one  has  stood  on  the  point 
where  latitude  and  longitude  cease 
to  exist,  and  has  spread  his  country's 
flag  to  the  icy  breeze. 

"About  A.D.  1500-02,"  the  Doc- 
tor read  from  his  notes, "the  Broth- 
ei'S  Cortereal  made  three  vovaf»;es  to 
the  North,  but  without  impoitant 
results;  lifty  years  later  Sir  Hugh 
Willoughby  and  his  crew  perished 
in  the  effort  to  find  the  north-west 
passage;  and  in  1570-78  Martin 
Fi'obisher  nuide  three  voyages  among  the  fields  of  ice,  and  discovered 
the  strait  which  bears  his  name.  Relics  of  Frobisher  were  found  in  ISOl 
by  Captain  Hall,  who  sent  them  to  the  British  Museum.  Ten  years 
later  came  Davis,  whose  name  is  preserved  in  the  strait  he  discovered 
and  explored ;  and  after  him  were  a  host  of  explorers  from  most  of  the 
nations  of  Europe,  all  in  search  of  a  new  road  to  the  Indies  by  way  of 
the  northern  sea.  English,  French,  Dutch,  and  Danes  struggled  for  the 
prize,  but  all  in  vain.  Henry  Hudson  was  sent  to  find  a  passage  around 
North  America  to  India;  and  to  his  failure  in  this  attempt  we  may 
attribute  his  southerly  voyage,  which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the  Bay 
of  New  York  and  the  river  which  flows  into  it  from  the  north,  and  keeps 
the  name  of  Hudson  fresh  in  our  memorv. 

"  While  these  and  later  expeditions  were  in  progress  on  the  east,  the 
Russians  were  busy  on  the  other  side  of  the  Arctic  Ocean.  The  most 
noted  enterprise  of  the  Russians  in  the  last  century  was  commanded  by 
Vitus  Behring,  who  sailed  in  1741  from  Petropavlovsk,  in  Kamchatka ;  the 
Russian  histories  say  that  the  sails  of  his  ships  were  of  deer-skins,  and  the 
cordage  was  of  thongs  of  the  same  material.  Nothing  important  came  of 
his  voyage,  nor  of  the  expeditions  of  Shalaroff,  Andreyeff,  and  Captain 
Billings;  the  latter  an  Englishman  in  the  Russian  service,who  attempted 
to  reach  the  pole  fi'om  the  mouth  of  the  Kolyma  River,  in  Siberia.     The 


ROSS  AND  PARRY. 


23 


most  famous  of  the  Russiati  expeditions  is  that  of  Von  Vv^raiigell  and 
Anion,  in  1820-23,  which  was  made  over  the  ice,  but  got  no  farther  nortii 
than  Uititude  70°  51',  where  progress  was  stopped  by  open  water. 

"Coinin"-  down  to  the  present  century,"  said  the  Doctor,  partly  reading 
and  partly  in  a  conversational  tone,  '  we  have  the  expedition  of  Jloss  and 
Parry  in  1S18,  and  that  of  Captain  Buchan  and  Lieutenant  (afterwards 
Sir  John)  Franklin  in  the  same  year.  Ross  and  Parry  went  in  search  of 
the  north-west  passage,  while  liuchan  and  Franklin  were  ordered  to  go  to 
the  North-pole  if  possible.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  both  expeditions  were 
unsuccessful;  the  one  did  not  tind  the  des.red  road  to  India, and  the  other 
failed  to  reach  the  pole. 


el 


SIK    JOHN    ROSS. 


"  Cai)tain  Ross,  who  afterwards  became  Sir  John  Ross,  made  thi'ee 
vo^-ages  to  the  arctic  regions,  the  last  being  in  1850  in  search  of  Sir  John 
Franklin,  He  mnst  not  be  confounded  with  his  nephew.  Sir  James  Ross, 
who  sailed  with  him  on  his  first  voyage,  and  afterwards  was  an  ofHcer 
under  Captain  Parry  in  his  four  voyages,  between  1819  and  1827.  In 
1839  he  went  on  a  vovage  of  antarctic  discoverv,  and  was  absent  four 
years  in  the  southern  hemisphere." 


t 


24 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


"  Was  ho  the  discoverer  o^  the  antarctic  continent  ?"  one  of  the  youths 
inquired. 

"He  was,  and  he  was  not,"  replied  tlie  Doctor.  "  When  he  reached  the 
antarctic  continent,  and  lioisted  the  EngHsh  flag  upon  it,  he  supposed  he 
was  the  first  to  see  that  hitherto  unknown  land.  But  it  happened  that  a 
few  months  earlier  Commander  Wilkes  of  the  United  States  Navy  had 
discovered  the  antarctic  continent  at  a  different  point,  and  traced  its 
coast  for  several  hundred  miles.  The  discovery  of  Captain  Ross  was 
entirely  independent  of  that  of  Commander  Wilkes,  and  neither  knew 
what  the  other  had  done  until  a  long  time  after." 

"  Is  it  fully  determined,"  asked  Fred,  "  that  the  South-pole  is  sur- 
rounded by  land  f 

"Exploration  in  that  direction  has  been  so  limited  that  it  would  be 
rash  to  assert  that  there  is  an  antarctic  continent  of  any  great  extent. 
Commander  Wilkes  saw  the  land  at  only  a  few  points,  as  he  was  separated 
from  it  by  an  immense  field  of  ice ;  and  it  is  quite  possible  that  what  he 
regarded  as  the  coast-line  was  nothing  more  than  a  series  of  islands.  At 
the  point  reached  by  Captain  Ross  there  were  mountains  ten  or  twelve 
thousand  feet  high;  one  of  them  was  an  active  volcano,  wh'ch  he  named 
Mount  Erebus  in  honor  of  the  ship  he  commanded. 

"  There  has  been,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  very  little  exploration  of  the 
antarctic  regions  compared  vvith  the  attempts  to  reach  the  North-pule ; 
but  it  is  the  general  belief  of  geographers  that  the  South-pole  is  sur- 
rounded by  land,  and  the  quantity  oi  ice  there  is  much  greater  than  at  the 
north.  Thus  far  nothing  resembling  an  open  sea  has  been  discovered 
there,  and  every  explorer  has  been  stopped  by  immense  fields  of  ice.  On 
the  other  hand,  open  water  has  been  found  as  far  north  as  most  of  the 
explorers  have  ever  been,  and  many  geographers  believe  that  the  pole  is 
surrounded  by  an  iceless  sea,  easy  to  navigate  if  we  could  only  get  to  it." 

"  And  what  is  really  the  case  ?" 

"  That  is  what  we  want  to  find  out,"  replied  'he  Doctor  with  a  smile,  as 
he  closed  his  journal  and  promised  to  give  them  another  talk  on  the  sub- 
ject of  arctic  discovery  at  a  later  date.     "Is  it  polynia  or  paleocrystic ?" 

"  Polynia  means  an  iceless  sea  around  the  pole,"  continued  Dr.  Tonner, 
"  and  the  name  was  given  by  the  Russians.  Paleocrystic  means  a  sea  of 
ancient  ice,  and  is  the  term  used  by  those  who  believe  that  the  pole  is 
surrounded  by  an  area  of  ice  that  never  melts,  but  is  piled  up  in  enor- 
mous masses  quite  impassable  by  man.  The  advocates  of  each  theory 
are  able  to  give  sound  reasons  for  their  belief;  let  us  hope  that  we  may 
prove  which  is  the  oorrect  one." 


THE  FIfiST  NIGHT  AT  SEA. 


25 


CHAPTER  II. 


AT  SEA.— STORIES  FROM  THE  ARCTIC  REGIONS. 

ALL  wlio  were  not  required  for  duty  on  board  the  Vivian  retired  eaily 
on  the  first  night  at  sea.  There  had  1  "U  little  sleep  on  shore  the 
night  before,  as  the  officers  were  entertaintu  .it  a  dinner  given  in  their 
honor  at  the  Palace  Hotel  by  the  gentlemen  who  had  contributed  ^o  the 
enterprise,  and  tiie  dinner  had  lasted  until  long  after  midnight.  J  ^d  and 
George  consoled  themselves  for  their  late  hoiu-s  with  the  retiection  that  it 
would  be  a  long  wliile  before  they  could  sit  down  to  a  similar  ff?ast,  and  it 
was  well  to  make  the  most  of  it. 

In  accordance  with  the  nautical  custom.  Captain  Jones  had  divided  the 
crew  into  watches ;  at  eight  o'clock  the  starboard  watch  was  set,  and  the 
men  off  duty  weTit  below.  The  night  was  clear,  and  the  Vivian  sped 
along  under  full  sail,  heading  into  the  wind  as  much  as  possible  in  the 
effort  to  beat  to  the  north.  As  the  sun  went  down  the  land  was  visible 
on  the  eastern  horizon,  but  by  morning  all  trace  of  it  had  disappeared,  and 
tl:e  bark  was  in  the  open  ocean,  with  nothing  but  sea  and  sky  within  the 
line  of  vision. 

Fred  and  Geoi-ge  were  on  deck  soon  after  six  o'clock,  and  the  freshness 
of  their  faces  showed  that  they  had  made  up  for  previous  loss  of  sleep. 
Neither  had  bee.  disturbed  in  the  least  by  the  motion  of  the  vessel,  and 
as  it  was  their  lirst  sea-voyage,  each  congratulated  the  other  on  the  pros- 
pect of  their  becoming  good  sailoi-s. 

"  I  suppose,  though,"  said  George,  "  that  we  have  not  been  tried  yet,  as 
we  have  had  very  little  rolling  and  pitching  since  we  left  port.  Every 
day  of  this  sort  of  weather  increases  the  chance  that  we  will  not  be  sea- 
sick at  all,  and  if  it  keeps  up  a  week  or  so  without  change,  we  shall  then 
be  ready  for  a  blow." 

"  Don't  feel  too  confident,"  said  Captain  Jones,  who  joined  them  from 
below.  "  I've  known  men  who  were  not  disturbed  in  their  digestion  for 
nearly  a  month;  but  became  the  m'  at  sea-sick  of  mortals  when  they  caught 
a  strong  gale  from  the  north.     This  part  of  the  Pacific  is  well  enough,  but 


26 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


wlien  yon  get  above  the  fiftieth  parallel  you'll  often  find  it  as  bad  as  the 
Atlantic." 

Tiien  tlie  captain  ainnsed  them  with  stories  of  his  experiences  as  a 
whaler  amon*;  the  iceber<i:s  until  seven  o'clock,  when  breakfast  was  an- 
nonnced.  Descending  to  the  cabin  they  met  the  conitnander  and  Major 
Clajjp,  and  soon  after  they  were  seated  at  table  the  Doctor  made  his  ap- 
pearance. He  was  not  habitually  an  early  riser,  and  often  came  late  to 
breakfast,  always  making  the  excuse  that  his  .tppetite  was  light  in  the 
morning,  and  a  very  little  food  would  be  sufticient  for  his  pnrj>oso. 

After  the  usual  greetings  had  been  made,  the  conversation  naturally 
turned  upon  the  object  of  their  voyage,  and  their  hopes  and  fears  for  its 
residt. 

George  asked  how  many  arctic  expeditions  had  been  sent  out. 

"  Nearly  three  hundred  in  all,"  replied  the  Doctor, "  if  we  include  those 
which  have  gotie  by  land  in  America  and  Russia,  instead  of  proceeding  by 
sea." 

"And  how  many  of  these  expeditions  have  been  lost  altogether?"  Fred 
inquired. 

"  Less  than  you  would  suppose,"  the  Doctor  replied.  "  Only  two  expe- 
ditions have  been  completely  lost,  and  their  destruction  was  due  to  igno- 
rance of  facts  which  have  since  been  demonstrated.  More  than  three 
hundred  years  ago  Sir  Hugh  Willoughby  and  all  his  companions  died  of 
starvation  on  the  coast  of  Lapland,  within  a  short  distance  of  a  native  set- 
tlement where  there  were  plenty  of  reindeer.  The  expedition  was  poorly 
provided,  and  totally  unfitted  for  the  severity  of  an  arctic  winter.  It  was 
fitted  out  by  an  association  of  merchants,  who  hoped  to  reach  India  by  the 
north-west  passage;  and  out  of  the  entire  company  of  one  hundred  and 
thirt3'-six  there  were  eighteen  merchants  engaged  in  the  venture. 

"The  other  expedition,  which  has  been  entii'ely  lost,  was,  as  you  are 
well  aware,  that  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  consisting  of  the  ships  Erebus  and 
Terror,  the  latter  commanded  by  Captain  Crozier.  The  expedition  sailed 
from  England  in  May,  1S45,  and  was  last  seen  by  a  whaler  in  Baffin's 
Bay,  on  the  26th  of  July  of  the  same  year.  The  ships  were  then  moored 
to  an  iceberg,  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  enter  Laiicaster  Sound.  For 
a  long  time  the  fate  of  the  ships  and  their  crews  was  a  mystery,  but  it  is 
now  clearly  known. 

"The  disappearance  of  the  Erebus  and  Terror,  g^^sa  an  impetus  to 
arctic  exploration,  as  it  led  to  more  than  twenty  search  expeditions,  some 
on  Government  account,  and  othem  by  private  subscriptions.  In  a  single 
year  (1850)  no  less  than  twelve  vessels  went  to  the  polar  regions  in  search 


MCLINTOCK'S  EXPEDITION. 


27 


of  Sir  John  Franklin,  in  addition  to  several  t  dj;ing  parties  and  land  ex- 
peditions. No  tra(!es  of  the  niissin<ij  shijjri  and  their  erews  were  fonnd,hut 
tlie  search  was  continued  at  various  intervals  until  (juite  recently. 


ItKLlCS   OF   SIR   JOHN    KRANKLIN's    KXI'KDITION. 

"The  mystery  was  solved  by  M'Clintock's  exj^cdition  in  ISoO,  which 
discovered  records  showing  that  Franklin  died  June  11,  1S47,  and  that 
the  crews  had  been  forced  to  abandon  the  ships,  which  were  'Mished  by 
the  ice.  The  natives  reported  that  the  party  went  southward  o.or  the  ice, 
with  their  boats  mounted  on  sledges,  and  that  many  of  the  men  fell  and 
died  on  the  way." 

One  o?  the  youths  asked  if  the  records  found  by  Captain  l\IClintock 
gave  a  history  of  the  expedition  down  to  the  time  the  shii)s  were  al)an- 
doned. 

"They  did  not,"  was  the  reply.  "The  records  consisted  of  a  slip  of 
paper  enclosed  in  a  tin  case.  There  were  two  memoranda,  one  dated 
May  28,  1847,  on  board  the  ships,  and  the  other  April  25,  1S4S,  on  the 


28 


THK   VOYAOE   OF  THE    "VIVIAN." 


same  slii)  of  paper  as  tlio  other,  hut  in  a  different  liandwritiiinj.  The 
latter  said  the  ships  wore  ahandoued  Ai)ril  22,  184S,  liaviii<j  been  heset 
in  tliO  ice  since  Septoniher  12,  1S4G.  It  mentioned  the  date  of  Sir  John 
Franklin's  death,  and  said  that,  down  to  the  writing;  of  tlie  record,  out  of 
a  total  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  persons,  twenty-four  had  died. 

"A  few  days  before  the  records  were  found,  Captain  M'Clintock  dis- 
covered a  boat  fitted  to  a  sledj^e  and  containing  two  skeletons,  some  guns 
and  amnnmition,  8ir  John  Franklin's  silver  tea-set,  some  tea,  chocolate, 
tobacco,  and  other  thinirs.  Manv  other  relics  of  the  expedition  were  found 
HJ  the  neighborhood  or  bought  from  the  natives,  and  from  the  accounts 
given  by  the  latter  it  was  evident  that  the  entire  party  had  perished. 

"Captain  Hall,  an  Ameiican  explorer,  who  made  three  voyages  to  the 
Arctic  Ocean  and  died  in  Greenland  in  1871,  discovered  additional  traces 
and  relics  of  Sir  John  Franklin's  expedition,  but  made  no  material  addi- 
tion to  its  history.  He  was  an  enthusiast  on  the  subject,  and  entertained 
the  belief  that  sotno  of  the  Franklin  i)arty  remained  alive  foi*  ten  or 
twelve  years  after  the  loss  of  the  ships.     His  first  voyage  covered  a  period 

of  two  years,  and  on  his  second 
visit  he  renuiined  five  years 
among  the  Eskimos,  learning 
their    language    and    becoming 


familiar  M'ith  their  wavs.  He 
?\  adopted  their  dress  and  mode  of 
life,  and  at  length  became  so  ac- 
customed to  the  food  of  the  na- 
tives that  he  preferred  it  to  the 
dishes  of  civilization, 

"He  had  a  relish  for  raw  seal- 
meat,  which  he  pronounced  supe- 
rior to  the  finest  beefsteak  ever  cooked,  and  he  was  perfectly  happy  when 
sitting  down  to  dinner  in  an  Eskimo  hut  —  a  performance  that  would 
not  result  agreeably  to  the  stomach  of  an  ordinary  man.  In  the  account 
of  his  travels  he  describes  one  of  these  parties,  where  a  whole  family,  in- 
cludino;  half  a  dozen  dogs,  entertained  him  with  a  feast  which  began  with 
raw  seal  and  frozen  fish,  and  terminated  with  stewed  seal,  cooked  in  a  pot 
that  had  no  other  cleaning  than  what  it  received  from  the  toncf-.es  of  the 
dogs.  Probably  his  appetite  was  sharpened  by  hunger,  which  in  all  ages 
has  been  pronounced  the  best  sauce. 

"But   we  are  wandering  from  the  searches  for  Sir  John  Franklin, 
which  we  may  as  well  finish  before  we  go  on  to  other  topics. 


CAPTAIN    HALL    AMONG   THK    KSKIMOS. 


FINDING  THE  IJOAT. 


29 


f.     The 

ill  beset 

lir  John 

I,  out  of 

ed. 

ock  dis- 

ne  <]CUTis 

loeolate, 

re  found 

accounts 

d. 

3S  to  the 

al  traces 

•ial  addi- 

tertained 

r  ten  or 
a  period 

is  second 

^•e  years 
learning 

becoming 
vs.  He 
mode  of 

me  so  ac- 
:  the  na- 
it  to  the 

raw  scal- 
ced  snpc- 
py  when 
at  would 
D  account 
imilv,  in- 
jfran  with 
in  a  pot 
.es  of  the 
n  all  ages 

Franklin, 


% 


H 

O 

H 
B 


A 

> 


r. 

r 


n 

H 
3 


o 


r^i 


w  ■ 


ililli 


'  i  i 


80 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


"  Aftor  it  was  dofinitclv  ascertained  that  all  the  members  of  the  Fiank- 
lin  exi)e«Jition  had  periblied,  there  was  a  ji^reat  desire  to  find  its  recordi*. 
Information  came  fiom  time  to  time  concerning  books  which  the  retreat- 
ing explorers  carried  with  them  after  leaving  the  ship':,  and  soine  of  the 
natives  said  these  books  had  been  bnried  in  a  cairn  of  stones  which  the 
white  men  erected.  The  most  definite  statement  came  in  187G.  A  party 
of  Eskimos  were  visiting  the  bark  A.  IIoxKjhton^  which  was  wintering 
near  Marble  Island  ;  one  of  the  natives  was  looking  at  the  captain's  log- 
book, and  said  that  the  great  white  nit^n  who  visited  them  years  before  had 
kept  a  similar  book.  Having  said  this  he  produced  a  spoon  on  which  the 
word  'Fianklin'  was  engraved,  and  thus  made  it  evident  that  the  book 
he  had  seen  was  that  of  the  missing  explorer. 

"  These  bits  of  information  attracted  the  attention  of  Lieutenant 
Sclnvatka  of  the  United  States  Army,  and  led  him  to  organize  an  expedi- 
tion for  the  purpose  of  finding  the  missing  records.  lie  sailed  from  New 
York  in  the  sunnner  of  1878.  The  history  of  his  journey  has  been  pub- 
lished under  the  title  of  "  Schwatka's  Search,"  and  was  written  by  Mr. 
W.  II.  Gilder,  who  went  with  him  as  second  in  command. 

"  Quite  likely  we  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  again  of  Lieutenant 
Schwatka  and  his  expedition.  To  put  it  briefly,  the  lieutenant  and  Mr. 
C  Ider  made  the  most  remarkable  sledge  journey  on  record,  having  been 
absent  from  their  base  of  sujiplies  an  entire  year,  lacking  only  a  few  days. 
In  this  time  they  travelled  a  distance  of  3251  statute  miles,  or  2819 
geographical  miles,  nearly  all  of  it  over  an  unexplored  region,  and  in  one 
of  the  coldest  seasons  known  in  the  arctic  regions  for  many  yeare.  Once 
the  thermometer  showed  the  temperature  to  be  71°  below  zero,  Fahrenheit; 
there  were  sixteen  days  averaging  100°  below  the  freezing  point,  and 
twent3'-t-t  ven  days  when  it  was  more  than  90°  below  it.  During  all  this 
time  the  expedition  was  travelling,  and  its  historian  says  it  never  stopped 
at  all  on  account  of  the  cold," 

"But  von  haven't  told  us  what  Schwatka  learned  about  the  records 
of  the  Fraid\lin  expedition,"  said  the  connnander  with  a  smile. 

"I  was  just  getting  to  that,"  answered  the  Doctor.  "He  found  that 
the  books  had  been  destroyed  by  the  natives ;  not  maliciously,  but  because 
they  were  quite  ignorant  of  the  value  of  the  property.  They  gave  some 
of  the  volumes  to  their  children  for  playthings,  and  no  doubt  the 
Eskimo  urchins  had  a  great  deal  of  fun  with. them.  The  rest  of  the 
books  were  left  on  the  rocks  until  they  were  destroyed  by  the  wind  and 
storms:  they  had  originally  been  deposited  in  a  tin  case,  which  the  natives 
broke  open  in  the  expectation  of  finding  something  valuable.     Of  course 


8('HWATKA'8  SEARCir. 


81 


tlie  books  wove  of  no  use  to  tlioin,  niul  it  sectus  n  profit  pity  tliiit  tlio  ofti- 
cjere  liHtl  not  iiifonned  them  tlint  tlic  records  would  bring  a  great  pneo 
if  carried  to  where  white  men  couhl  see  them. 

"Schwatka  brought  back  quite  a  collection  of  relics  of  the  Franklin 
expedition,  and  biu'ied  tiic  bones  of  numy  of  the  men,  which  had  been 
King  exposed  for  years.  The  grave  of  one  oflicer,  Lieutenant  Irving,  was 
fo\md,  and  his  remains  were  removed  and  sent  to  England.  All  the  other 
o-raves  of  officers  had  been  opened  by  the  natives  and  the  contents  s(;at- 
tered  about:  that  of  Lieutenant  Irving  was  opened  like  the  rest,  and  a 
portion  of  the  bones  had  disappeared  ;  those  that  renuiined  were  gathered 
as  carefully  as  possible,  and  were  identified  by  a  silver  medal  awarded  to 
John  Irving  at  the  Koyal  Xaval  College,  England,  in  1S.3().  The  nu'(lal 
was  lying  on  a  stone  near  by,  where  it  was  probably  placed  by  the  natives 
when  they  robbed  the  grave,  and  was  forgotten  by  accident." 


TRAVKLLINO    BY   SLKDQB. 


The  conversation  which  we  have  recorded  was  frequently  interrupted 
by  the  movements  of  the  steward,  who  was  busy  with  the  work  of  serving 
breakfast,  and  as  the  cabin  was  narrow  he  was  obliged  to  display  a  good 
deal  of  skill  to  avoid  accidents.  Once  he  upset  the  coffee-pot  at  the  edge 
of  the  table,  but  managed  to  catch  it  before  the  entire  contents  were 
spilt.  x\.  few  minutes  later  he  allowed  a  fried  egg  to  slip  inside  the  col- 
lar of  George's  coat,  just  as  that  young  gentleman  was  leaning  forward 
to  help  himself  to  a  sea-biscuit;  consequently,  George  left  the  table  for 
a  short  period,  and  missed  a  part  of  the  Doctor's  lecture,  lie  consoled 
liinjself  with  the  double  reflection   that  the  Doctor's  fund  of  informa- 


'II 


i     ■'  ; 


32 


Tin:   VOYAfiK  OF  TIIK   "VIVIAN." 


ICK-DKUT    OF   THE    TYSON    PAUTV. 


iiill 


tioii  was  by  no  means  exhausted,  but  tlie  store  of  fresh  eggs  would  soon 
give  out. 

After  breaikfast  there  was  an  inspeetion  of  the  list  of  provisions  that 
Imd  been  brought  along  for  tlie  use  of  the  party  in  the  Nortli.  Previous 
to  the  inspection  the  commander  explained  to  the  youths  the  plan  of  the 
voyage,  and  his  reasons  for  preferring  San  Francisco  to  New  Yoi'k  as  a 
point  of  departure. 

"  To  make  it  clear  to  you,"  said  he,  '  I  must  first  tell  about  the  polar 
currents. 

"  Most  of  the  navigators  who  have  entered  the  Arctic  Ocean  by  way  of 
Davis's  Strait  and  Baffin's  Bay  have  found  themselves  opposed  by  tlie 
currents  flowing  down  to  the  south.  Frequently,  when  their  ships  are 
enclosed  in  the  ice,  they  have  been  carried  slowly  but  steadily  along  over 


KKCOVKUY  OK  THE   "RKSOLLTi:." 


88 


tlio  very  truck  hy  wliiirli  tlu'V  usuundt'd  to  tho  North,  atiU  witlumt  auy 
j.owcr  to  resist  tli(;  iiiovtMiioiit. 

"  Tluiro  aro  iiiuny  instaiKios  of  tliin  on  rtutortl.  (V.ptiiiii  Tvs<iii,  dii  his 
crtciipo  from  the  l*i)lariii  in  Octohcr,  1S7-J,  drifted  south  iieiirly  t\v<»  ihou- 
siind  iiiileH  on  a  hirj^o  tli)o  of  iee,  from  which  hi;  was  rcscMied  hy  tht? 
Hteimicr  Tltjr<ss.  In  IS'JT  ('uptuin  Parry  made  a  hhidi^i;  jonrni'V  <»ver 
the  ice,  hut  found  that  he  (hifted  to  the  Koiith  nearly  as  fast  as  his  sledues 
carried  him  northward.  Captain  M'CHntoei\,  in  the  steam-yacht  Fi>j\  had 
a  (-iniihir  experience:  the  J'\>x  was  hicked  in  the  ice  in  I'atlin's  I'ay, 
Aui^unt  17,  is,')",  and  wat*  carried  haitk  on  her  (bourse  until  April  L'.")th 
of  the  followin;!^  year;  when  released  she  hail  drifted  oiiu  thousand  three 
hundred  antl  niuetv-live  miles  southward. 


TUK    CABIN    OK   THE    "HKSULUTE." 


"In  1854  Sir  Edward  Belcher,  witli  a  fleet  of  five  ships,  was  caught  in 
the  ice  near  Beechy  Island;  the  ships  were  ahandoned,  and  given  up  as 
totally  lost.  Sixteen  months  later  one  of  the  officers  of  the  whaling  ship 
George  Henry  saw  a  vessel  in  the  ice  near  the  west  shore  of  Baffin\s  Bay, 
in  latitude  67°.  Making  his  way  to  her  with  some  difficulty,  he  found  she 
was  the  Resolute,  o\w.  of  Sir  Edward  Belcher's  ahandoned  ships,  perfectly 

3 


34 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


'M 


sound  and  sea-worth}-,  tliongh  locked  fast  in  the  Ice.  The  cabin  was 
mouldy  and  musty  in  appearance,  but  everything  was  in  order,  showing 
that  she  had  not  been  visited  by  the  natives.  Some  decanters  of  wine 
were  on  the  table,  and  the  discoverers  helped  themselves  to  the  beverage 
which  they  had  fairly  earned  by  their  long  tramp  over  the  ice. 

"  The  prize  was  a  valuable  one,  and  the  captain  of  the  George  Henry 
decided  to  go  home  with  her  as  soon  as  he  could  get  her  free  from  the 
ice.  He  divided  his  crew  between  the  two  vessels,  going  on  board  the 
Reaoluie  in  person  and  leaving  the  George  Henry  in  charge  of  his  fii'st 
mate.  It  was  rather  a  curious  circmnstance  that  in  a  day  or  two  after 
he  had  done  so  the  Resolute  was  free  and  the  George  Henry  frozen  in. 
She  got  free,  however,  shortly  after,  and  the  two  vessels  made  the  best 
of  their  way  to  New  London.  The  Resolute  was  bought  by  the  United 
States  Govermnent,  and,  after  being  thoroughly  refitted,  was  sent  to  Eng- 
land as  a  present  to  the  Queen.  The  British  Govermnent  accepted  the 
gift,  but  immediately  dismantled  the  ship,  and  laid  her  up  in  the  Wool- 
wich dock-yard. 

"From  the  time  she  was  abandoned  until  picked  up  by  the  Ge<yrge 
Henryy  the  Resolute  had  drifted  a  thousand  miles,  entirely  by  the  force  of 
the  current.  Other  instances  of  the  steady  drift  of  the  currents  could  be 
given,  but  those  I  have  cited  are  sufficient." 

One  of  the  boys  asked  how  the  currents  were  made,  and  whether  they 
were  the  same  throughout  the  whole  year. 

"The  currents  are  generally  stronger  in  winter  than  in  the  warm 
months,  but  such  is  not  always  the  case.  They  ai-e  formed  by  the  Gulf 
Stream,  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  the  Kuro  Siwa,  or  Japan  curi-ent,  in 
the  Pacific.  The  Gnlf  Stream,  as  you  know,  flows  from  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico northward  and  eastward  till  it  reaches  the  coast  of  Northern  Eui'ope, 
passes  the  North  Cape,  and  strikes  the  western  shore  of  Nova  Zenibla. 
Portions  of  it  llo'y  northward  towards  the  pole,  and  naturally  create  a 
counter  current  which  sweeps  down  the  coast  of  Greenland  to  the  south. 
It  is  this  current  which  brings  the  icebergs  that  are  one  of  the  dangers 
of  navigation  in  the  North  Atlantic." 

"I  know  them  very  well,"  said  George.  "When  I  came  home  from 
Europe  in  the  steamer  Arizo7ia  last  year,  we  passed  ten  or  twelve  ice- 
bei'gs  in  a  single  day.  Captain  Brooks,  who  commanded  the  Arizona^ 
said  tiiey  had  come  from  Greenland,  and  were  brought  down  by  the  cur- 
I'ent ;  and  he  said  they  sometimes  went  as  low  as  forty  degrees  north  lati- 
tude before  they  were  melted  by  the  warmth  of  the  atmosphere." 

"  The  other  stream,"  continued  Commander  Bronson,  "  is  the  Kuro 


THE  GATEWAY  TO  THE   POLE. 


35 


Siwa,  and  flows  from  the  coast  of  Japan  northward  tlirougli  Beln-ing 
Stiait.  It  greatly  reseinhles  the  Gulf  Stream,  only  it  is  much  smaller, 
the  narrowness  of  the  stiait  preventing  the  passage  of  a  great  body  of 
water;  still  it  is  snfticiently  extensive  to  sweep  away  the  ice  from  that 
part  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  in  ordinary  sinnmers,  and  give  an  entrance  for 
whalers  and  other  ships.  Many  scientists  have  thought  that  this  current 
would  furnish  the  best  mode  of  reaching  the  pole,  and  some  of  them 
believe  that  it  flows  directly  over  it.  While  many  explorers  have  sought 
to  reach  the  pole  by  the  Greenland  route,  and  been  carried  back  by  the 
currents,  others  liave  argued  that  the  true  way  to  get  there  is  to  take 
advantage  of  the  current  through  Behring  Strait.  Nine -tenths  of  the 
sailing  or  steaming  expeditions  to  the  arctic  regions  have  been  by  the 
Greenland  or  the  Spitzbergen  route; 
only  a  few  have  tried  the  other  ap- 
proach, and  consequently  its  capa- 
bilities have  not  been  tested. 

"  It  is  my  opinion  that  the  gate- 
way to  the  pole  is  through  Behring 
Strait;  for  that  reason  I  wished  to 
sail  from  San  Francisco  rather  than 
from  New  York.  Perhaps  we  may 
be  caught  in  the  ice  and  drifted 
across  the  pole  by  the  Japan  cur- 
rent; then  we  may  be  brought  down 
with  the  ice  along  the  coast  of  Green- 
land or  by  Spitzbergen,  and  so  make 
our  way  to  New  York  by  the  Atlan- 
tic route.  Wiio  can  say  that  we 
shall  not* 

"  Only  a  few  years  ago  a  whale- 
ship  that  had  entered  the  Arctic 
Ocean  through  Behring  Stra't, 
found  open  water  farther  than  it 
had  ever  been  seen  before.  She 
sailed  more  than  a  hundred  miles 

along  this  water  in  pursuit  of  whales,  but  found  noiie.  As  she  was  not 
on  a  scientific  voyage,  she  turned  to  the  south  and  lost  a  valuable  opjwr- 
tnnity.  It  is  not  impossible  that  there  was  an  open  way  to  the  pole, 
caused  by  a  combination  of  the  winds  and  currents ;  and  if  to  the  pole, 
why  may  it  not  have  continued  southward  on  the  other  side  ?     Of  course 


AN   ICKBEBQ   FHOU    OKEKNLAKD. 


36 


IJijjJIl 


i: 


!i     lilll  !i 


>-'mv 


■t 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


THK   BAKKIKK  OF   ICE. 


it  is  all  conjecture,  but  wliere  everything  is  guesswork,  the  guess  of  one 
is  as  good  as  that  of  another." 

"Do  you  think  there  is  water  at  tlie  pole,"  said  one  of  the  youths,  "or 
perhaps  solid  land  ?" 

"  That  is  one  of  the  vexed  questions,"  replied  the  commander,  with  a 
smile,  "  and  it  cannot  be  answered  until  somebody  has  actually  been  to 
tlie  pole  and  seen  for  himself.  I  have  already  told  you  of  the  discussions 
relative  to  the  sea  at  the  pole  (Giip^.>osing  there  is  a  sea  there),  whether  it 
is  polyi;".*  or  paleocrjstic,  open  or  eternally  closed.  All  that  the  expe- 
ditions have  accomplished  towards  reaching  the  pole  is  to  get  within  about 
five  hundred  miles  of  it;  ten  houre  of  an  express  tiain  on  a  railway  might 
finish  the  journey,  but,  unhappily,  the  railway  has  not  been  extended  to  it, 
and  Pullman  cars  are  unavailable.  Certainly  the  pole  is  surrounded  by 
an  icy  barrier,  which  does  not  remain  the  same  at  all  times.  One  expe- 
dition finds  open  water  where  another,  a  few  years  earlier  or  later,  discov- 
ers only  solid  ice ;  and  this  experience  has  been  repeated  again  and  again. 
The  barrier  of  ice  has  been  indented  in  a  few  places,  but,  practically,  there 
is  an  area  of  two  and  a  half  million  square  miles  around  the  pole  where 
the  foot  of  man  has  never  trod." 

"It  seems  to  me,"  said  one  of  the  youths, "that  the  cold  must  in'irease 
as  we  go  towards  the  pole,  and  where  there  is  so  much  ice  at  every  point 
four  or  five  hundred  miles  from  it,  there  must  be  a  great  deal  more  ice  at 
the  pole  itself." 

"  Evidently  you  adhere  to  the  paleocrystic  theory,"  was  the  reply, "  but 


IS  THERE  AN  ARCTIC  CONTINENT? 


37 


less  of  one 
jrouths, "  Ol- 
der, with  a 
ly  been  to 
discussions 
vvhetlier  it 
:  the  expe- 
ithin  about 
way  might 
nded  to  it, 
onnded  by 
One  expe- 
iter,  discov- 
and  again, 
cally,  there 
pole  where 

ist  i:v!rease 
every  point 
more  ice  at 

reply, "  but 


on  one  question  you  are  wrong.  The  point  of  greatest  cold  is  not  at  the 
pole  itself,  but  away  to  the  south  ;  observation  shows  tiiat  thei'e  are  two 
points  of  greatest  cold,  one  in  Northern  Siberia  and  the  other  on  Parry 
Island,  on  the  American  side  of  the  globe.  North  of  these  points  the  tem- 
perature decreases  as  we  approach  tlie  pole,  but  our  progress  is  impeded 
by  the  ice  barrier  ah-eady  mentioned,  and  which  has  been  sucli  a  hin- 
derance  to  every  explorer  in  that  direction. 

"The  North-pole  is  not  the  magnetic  pole  any  more  than  it  is  the  pole 
of  greatest  cold.  Sir  James  Ross,  in  1832,  fixed  the  magnetic  pole  in 
latitude  70°  5'  17"  N.,  longitude  96°  46'  45"  W.  It  is  there  the  needle 
of  the  mariner's  C(jinpass  points,  and  not  to  the  spot  over  wiiich  the  North- 
star  is  supposed  to  hang  perpetually." 

"What  are  the  arguments  in  favor  of  an  arctic  continent?"  was  the 
next  inquiry.  "  . 

"Here  is  the  opinion  of  Lieutenant  Lucien  Young,"  was  the  reply; 
and  so  saying.  Com iriander  Bronson  drew  from  his  pocket  a  slip  cut  from 
a  newspaper.  "  He  has  given  much  time  to  the  study  of  arctic  explora- 
tion, and  his  theory  is  the  result  of  careful  deliberation. 


AKCTIC    UIHDS. 


The  wild-fowl  of  the  higher  arctic  regions,'  says  Lieutenant  Young, 
'when  winter  comes  on,  do  not  go  south,  but  north.  There,  somewhere 
in  the  unknown,  mysterious  regions,  they  build  their  nests  and  hatch  their 


^^^ 


88 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVJAN." 


young,  retiiniing  south  in  the  spring.  These  birds  do  not  build  tlieir 
nests  on  ice  and  snow,  and  are  fond  of  vegetable  substances.  Again,  the 
Gulf  Stream,  as  is  well  known,  after  leaving  the  coast  of  America,  divides 
into  three  currents.  One  of  them  breaks  on  the  British  Isles,  and  gives 
them  the  temperature  of  New  York ;  another  goes  along  the  northern 
coast  of  Europe  and  Siberia;  and  a  third  sweeps  northward  along  the  east- 
ern coast  of  Greenland  until  it  meets  a  cold  current  of  greater  specific 
gravity  coming  from  the  north,  when  it  sinks  and  becomes  an  undercur- 
rent, still  ruiming  northward.  Now  it  is  only  when  the  waters  of  the  Gulf 
Stream  meet  with  a  resistance  that  they  give  out  their  latent  heat.  For 
instance,  thov  pass  by  the  Grand  Bank  of  Newfoundland,  and  do  not  ma- 
terially rai!^  the  temperature  there,  but  when  the  resistance  of  the  British 
Isles  is  enci    ufered,  tiie  heat  is  given  ofP.' 

" '  Now,  continues  Lieutenant  Young, '  may  not  the  portion  of  the 
Gulf  Stream  running  north  meet  with  the  obstruction  of  land  around  the 
pole,  and,  coming  to  the  surface  and  giving  off  its  heat,  raise  the  tenniera- 
ture  of  the  region  very  materially  ?  In  support  of  this  theory  we  find 
Gulf  Stream  water  in  Smith's  Strait  ruiming  south.  I  believe  there  is 
land  at  tiie  pole,  and  immortality  for  the  man  who  shall  place  his  foot 
upon  it.'" 

Commandei'  Bronson  folded  the  paper  and  carefully  replaced  it  in  his 
pocket.    , 

"  I  can  understand  the  benefits  of  the  currents  flowing  from  the  pole," 
said  one  of  the  youths.  "  They  bring  away  the  ice  and  thus  prevent  a  vast 
accumulation.  If  it  were  not  for  tlie  currents  there  would  be  a  great 
increase  every  year." 

"  Quite  true,"  replied  the  commander,  "  but,  in  spite  of  the  currents, 
it  is  generally  believed  that  the  quantity  of  ice  at  tlie  pole  is  increasing 
every  year.  Here  comes  the  Doctor;  let  us  ask  him  to  explain  his  theory 
of  the  grand  cataclysm." 

Tlie  query  was  made,  and  the  Doctor  readily  assented  to  the  proposal. 

"  My  theory,"  said  he,  "  is  not  by  any  means  my  own ;  it  was  pro- 
pounded years  ago  by  M.  Adhemar,  a  celebrated  French  mathematician, 
and  is  supported  partly  or  altogether  by  Lyell,  Darwin,  Ilebert,  Hon,  and 
others. 

"  Briefly  stated,  it  is  tliat  the  centre  of  gravity  of  the  earth  is  changed 
at  certain  epochs  by  the  accumulation  of  ice  at  one  of  the  poles,  until  its 
balance  is  lost.  When  this  happens,  the  earth  turns  over:  that  is,  it  changes 
its  position  in  the  heavens,  so  that  what  is  now  the  North-star  hangs  over 
the  present  South-pole.    There  is  a  grand  cataclysm,  or  rush  of  waters, 


THE  GRAND  CATACLYSM. 


39 


build  their 
Again,  the 
ica,  divides 
\,  and  gives 
e  northern 
Iff  the  cast' 
iter  specific 

I  nndercur- 
of  the  Gulf 

heat.  Foi- 
do  not  tna- 
the  Britisli 

tion  of  the 
around  the 
lie  tenipera- 
ory  we  find 
eve  there  is 
ace  his  fooi 

ced  it  in  his 

n  the  pole," 

event  a  vast 

be  a  great 

le  currents, 
i  increasing 

II  his  theory 

e  proposal, 
it  was  pro- 
theinatician, 
ft,  Hon,  and 


is  changed 
les,  until  its 
s,  it  changes 

hangs  over 
1  of  waters, 


making  the  inundations  of  which  we  see  the  traces  all  over  the  globe, 
and  forming  Mie  deposits  that  compose  the  different  strata  of  the  earth's 
surface." 

"  How  often  do  these  upsets  occur?"  Fred  inquired. 

"  About  once  in  every  twenty-one  thousand  years,"  replied  the  Doctor. 
"  The  last  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Deluge,  which  is  described  in  the 
Genesis  of  the  ]3ible.  You  needn't  be  alarmed  for  oin*  present  safety,  he 
added,  "as  the  next  cataclysm  is  not  expected  for  at  least  ten  thousand 
years !" 

"But  I  don't  understand  how.it  all  comes  about,"  said  George. 
"  What  is  it  sets  the  cataclysm  going  ?"  •  'j 

"According  to  the  geologists,"  the  Doctor  explained,  "  there  is  a  differ- 
ence in  the  amount  of  heat  and  cold  in  the  two  hemispheres.  In  the  first 
part  of  one  of  these  great  cycles  of  twenty-one  thousand  years  there  will 
be  more  heat  in  one  hemisphere  than  in  the  other,  while  at  the  last  half 
of  the  cycle  the  conditions  are  reversed.  Humboldt  estimated  that  at 
the  present  time  there  are  eight  days  more  of  winter  in  the  South-pole 
than  at  the  North,  and  consequently  eight  days  less  of  sunnner.  It  fol- 
lows, therefore,  that  there  is  an  accumulation  of  ice  and  snow  at  the 
South-pole  which  increases  slightly,  but  surely,  every  year.  Thousands 
of  years  hence  the  weight  of  ice,  snow,  and  water  there  will  be  so  great 
that  the  centre  of  gravity  will  be  changed,  and  then  will  come  one  of 
^hose  terrible  inundations  already  mentioned.  According  to  this  theory 
we  are  now  a  little  past  the  middle  of  tlie  cj'cle.  Ten  thousand  years 
ago  the  North-pole  was  a  warm  region,  and  the  mammoth  and  kindred 
animals  roamed  through  its  forests.  Since  that  time  the  temperature  has 
fallen  in  the  Southern  He?nisphere ;  all  the  explorers  in  the  direction  of 
the  South-pole  say  there  is  a  greater  quantity  of  ice  there  than  in  the 
North,  and  the  hinderances  to  travel  are  everywhere  insurmountable." 

"  Then,  if  we  wait  a  few  thousand  years,"  said  one  of  the  yoiiths, "  we 
can  have  a  better  chance  than  now  of  getting  to  the  North-pole,  since 
the  cataclysm  will  sweep  everything  away,  and  there  will  be  no  ice  to 
hinder  us." 

"Quite  ^ikely,"  responded  the  Doctor;  "but  we  won't  make  this  a 
reason  for  giving  up  our  present  expedition." 


40 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


''     ''I 


CHAPTER   III.  . 

PROVISIONS  FOR  AN   ARCTIC  VOYAGE.— WHALES  AND  WHALERS. 

"l^TE  have  observed  that  the  inspection  of  the  list  of  provisions  \*a8 
'  *  interrupted  by  tlie  talk  concerning  <^'"^  exploration  of  the  arctic 
i-egions  and  the  searches  for  Sir  John  Franklin ;  then  came  the  disserta- 
tion of  the  Doctor  on  the  grand  cataclysm  which  should  change  the  rela- 
tion of  the  poles  and  derange  things  generally,  coupled  with  the  re-assuring 
assertion  that  it  was  not  likely  to  come  off  immediately.  Quiet  having 
been  restored,  as  the  reporters  say,  the  list  of  provisions  was  produced. 

•  "We  are  provisioned  for  two  years,"  said  the  commander, "  and  of 
course  we  have  the  usual  stores  of  a  ship  for  a  long  voyage.  They  in- 
clude salted  meats,  both  dry  and  wet — the  former  carefully  wrapped  in 
canvas,  and  the  latter  in  strong  casks.  Then  we  have  a  liberal  stock  of 
floui",  meal,  dried  fruit,  preserved  vegetables  of  different  kinds,  canned 
meats  and  fruits,  and  tea,  coffee,  and  chocolate.  Hard  bread  or  sea-biscuit 
has  not  been  forgotten,  as  it  is  generally  the  first  item  in  a  ship's  list  of 
provisions. 

The  Doctor  remarked  that  the  hardships  of  long  sea-voyages  had  been 
diminished  by  the  abundance  of  canned  goods,  which  were  almost  un- 
known in  the  time  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  and  even  at  a  much  later  date. 

"  As  to  that,"  said  Commander  Bronson, "  we  are  less  fortunate  than 
you  nn'ght  suppose,  as  there  are  many  qualities  of  canned  provisions  which 
will  not  bear  transportation  to  the  arctic  regions.  All  articles  that  con- 
tain water  are  undesirable,  as  they  are  injured  by  fieezing,  and,  besides,  it 
is  not  well  to  carry  water  where  every  ounce  of  weight  is  of  serious  con- 
sequence. Our  canned  provisions  have  been  specially  prepared  for  us, 
and  contain  the  least  possible  amount  of  moistui-e. 

"We  have  horseradish  and  lime-juice,  in  large  quantities,  to  prevent 
the  disease  called  scurvy ;  it  has  fi-equentl}'  impaired  tlie  efficiency  of 
arctic  expeditions,  and  in  some  instances  has  been  the  direct  cause  of 
failure.  I  have  had  our  lime-juice  prepared  in  a  new  form,  partly  to 
facilitate  transportation,  and  partly  to  make  it  easier  of  distribution  when 


PROVISIONS  FOB  ARCTIC  EXPLORATIONS. 


%% 


wanted.  Instead  of  being  in  liquid  sliape  it  is  in  the  form  of  lozenges, 
and  in  sticks  like  candy.  When  we  are  on  the  march  over  the  ice  we  can 
more  easily  distribute  it  than  if  it  were  frozen  solid  in  bottles. 

"Our  peniinican  was  made  by  a  man  who  thoroughly  nnderstands  its 
preparation,  and  we  have  a  liberal  snpply  of  it." 

One  of  the  youths  asked  what  pennnican  was,  and  the  commander 
proceeded  to  enlighten  him. 

"  Pemmican,"  said  he, "is  an  im])ortant  article  of  supply  at  the  posts 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  all  through  the  northern  regions. 
There  are  two  forms,  raw  and  cooked;  for  'le  former,  lean  meat  is  cut 
into  thin  strips  and  dried,  and  for  the  latter  the  meat  is  boiled  before 
cutting  and  drying.  In  either  case  the  meat  is  reduced  to  powder,  and 
this  is  mixed  with  melted  fat.  A  little  seasoning  is  added,  and  in  some 
parts  of  the  North  the  powder  of  certain  leaves  is  introduced.  When 
thoroughly  mixed,  the  substance  is  poured  into  a  bag  of  green  hide,  the 
end  of  the  bag  tightly  sewed,  and  as  the  hide  shrinks  in  drying  it  com- 
presses the  contents  into  a  mass  nearly  as  hard  as  a  brick.  The  pemmican 
is  preserved  from  injury  by  its  hide  envelope,  and  is  so  solid  that  it  must 
be  cut  out  with  a  hatchet  or  a  stout  knife. 

"  As  an  article  of  food  it  is  admirably  adapted  to  expeditions  over  the 
ice,  or  in  regions  of  intense  cold ;  the  great  quantity  of  fat  contained  in  it 
supplies  the  carbon  required  by  the  system  for  resisting  the  effects  of  a 
low  temperature,  and  it  is  so  well  protected  by  its  covering  that  it  may  lie 
for  hours  in  the  rain,  or  be  immersed  in  salt-water,  without  injury. 

"1  have  tried  an  experiment,"  the  commander  continued,  "or,  rather, 
I  have  repeated  an  experiment  that  was  made  by  a  recent  Euglish  expe- 
dition, and  found  to  work  successfully." 

"What  is  that?"         '  •      -       *       •  •         .. 

"I  have  mixed  lime-juice  with  the  pemmican  in  such  a  proportion 
that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  keep  the  anti-scorbutic  Miediciue  always  at 
hand.  At  ieast,I  think  the  result  will  be  that  our  men  will  keep  in  good 
health  without  the  necessity  of  frequent  rations  of  lime  juice. 

"  So  much  for  the  food  provisions,"  he  added,"  and  with  care  they  will 
be  all  we  need,  in  addition,  of  course,  to  the  game  wo  hope  to  kill  from 
time  to  time. 

"For  killing  our  game  we  are  well  provided  with  arms  and  ammu- 
nition. We  have  several  rifles  of  the  latest  pattern,  and  we  have  revolver 
sufficient  to  set  up  a  small  shop,  in  case  we  want  to  make  a  trading  vent- 
ure. We  have  a  few  rifles  that  can  be  loaded  with  loose  powder  and 
ball,  but  the  most  of  our  weapons  use  fixed  ammunition  ;  the  shells  can  be 


m 


ii 


42 


THE   VOYAfSK  OF   TMK    "VIVIAN." 


OVKK   TUK    ICK. 


rcloacled  if  we  happen  to  run  short,  or  are  in  danger  of  doing  so,  and  there 
is  an  abundance  of  material  for  reloading. 

"  There  are  only  two  sizes  of  fixed  ammunition — one  for  the  rifles  and 
one  for  the  revolvers.  Perhaps  I  might  express  it  better  by  saying  that 
our  weapons  have  only  two  calibres — the  rifles  one  and  the  revolvers  an- 
other. 

"We  have  an  abundance  of  warm  clothing,  both  for  under  and  outer 
wear;  it  will  serve  us  in  ordinary  times  very  satisfactorily,  but  on  long 
journeys  over  the  ice,  or  in  the  dead  of  winter,  we  shall  adopt  the  native 
dress,  of  \vhich  we  will  learn  more  by-and-by.  You  remember  the  old 
adage, 'when  with  the  Eomans, do  as  the  Romans  do;'  apply  it  to  our  case, 
and  when  with  the  Hyperboreans,  dress  as  the  Hyperboreans  dress.  They 
wear  thick  furs  and  skins,  and  so  r  ust  we  if  wo  would  escape  freezing  in 
the  arctic  winter. 

"  For  fuel  we  have  coal — as  much  as  we  can  stow  away  in  the  ship's 
bunkers ;  and  we  may  be  able  to  replenish  our  stock  at  one  of  the  inter- 
national depots  recently  established  in  the  arctic  regions." 

"I  had  not  heard  of  theiii;"  said  the  Doctor;  "when  were  they  estab- 
lished?" 


IXTKUNATIONAL  Sl'lTLY-STATIONS. 


48 


oivevs  au- 


"  I  miulc  a  8\isrgcsti(Hi  three  or  four  years  ago,"  wm  the  reply.  "  It  was 
favorably  leeeived  by  our  goveriniient,  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
proceetied  to  act  upon  it.  My  suggestion  was  that  every  whaler,  or  other 
ship,  proceeding  to  the  Arctic  Ocean  utider  sail  alone,  and  having  spare 
room  in  her  iiold,  should  carry  a  (juantity  of  coal,  to  he  left  at  certain  des- 
ignated points,  for  the  use  of  any  explorer  who  tnight  need  it.  An  ex- 
]>l(»ring  ship  of  any  nation  might  use  this  coal  under  certain  restrictions, 
repi'iting  through  her  own  admiralty  the  number  of  tons  taken,  so  that 
c(tui[>ensation  could  bo  nnvde  to  the  government  that  sent  it  out.     It  is 


Jks*^?^  ^-        ,»^5a»«*"^''"- 


ii 


■11 


NATIVE    AND    KUKOPKAN    DRESS   CONTRASTED. 


not  necessary  to  trouble  yon  with  all  the  deiails  of  my  scheme;  it  was 
accepted,  and  communicated  to  the  governments  of  England,  France,  Ger- 
many, Denmark,  Sweden,  and  other  nations  interested  in  polar  explora- 
tions, and  there  ougl  "  to  be  by  this  time  several  coal  depots  in  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  where  an  ex[ilorer  should  be  reasonably  sure  of  finding  enough  to 
supply  his  wants." 


44 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "  VIVUN." 


■I 


I 


/       ^    1 


■'■i  ''M 


t 


« ;  111 


III 


|i>U 


"  But  w(ni't  the  natives  steal  the  coal, as  they  do  everything  else?'  one 
of  the  yoiitlis  inquired.  < 

"  Undoubtedly,  if  it  could  ho  of  any  use  to  them,"  was  the  reply, "hut 
thus  far  they  have  not  found  out  how  to  utilize  it.  They  look  with  won- 
der on  the  white  man's  ability  to  burn  '  black  stones,'  but  have  not  learned 
how  to  perform  tho  feat  themselves.  As  long  as  tliey  have  no  stoves,  and 
are  not  taught  how  to  create  a  draft  through  the  coal,  they  will  respect  the 
iieaps  which  we  shall  make  on  the  barren  rocks  at  East  Cape,  Littleton 
Islaii  1,  Point  Barrow,  and  the  other  places  selected  for  our  depots.  Then, 
too,  these  depots  will  bo  convenient  post-oftices  for  the  interchange  of  news 
and  information,  1  suggested  that  at  each  depot  a  mark  should  be  made 
on  some  pronn'nent  rock,  indicating  the  spot  where  letters  were  concealed 
a  short  distance  away.  The  distances  should  be  in  yards,  and  the  direction 
magnetic  by  compass;  or  it  might  be  shown  by  an  arrow,  cut  or  painted  on 
the  rock.  Thus  "  N.E.  22  "  would  mean  that  a  box  had  been  buried  twen- 
ty-two yards  away,  in  a  north-easterly  direction;  "  - — ►  27"  would  show 
that  the  direction  of  the  arrow  must  be  followed  twenty-seven  yards  to 
find  the  place  of  concealment.  The  position  of  the  deposits  would  be  ac- 
cording to  the  character  of  tho  ground,  the  drift  of  the  snows,  and  the 
liability  to  discovery  by  the  natives. 

"It  is  of  ver}'  little  use,"  he  continued, "to  deposit  papers  under  cairns 
of  stones,  as  the  natives  invariably  dig  into  the  cairns  and  break  open 
the  cases  containing  the  papers.  This  was  the  fate  of  the  records  of  the 
Franklin  expedition,  as  we  have  already  seen.  Now,  if  the  records  had 
been  buried  in  a  dry  spot,  and  all  trace  oi  the  digging  of  the  ground  ob- 
literated, future  explorers  might  have  been  directed  to  the  place  by  marks 
on  the  rocks  some  distance  away." 

"  But  some  of  the  natives — two  or  three  that  have  been  to  the  United 
States  and  England — have  learned  to  read,"  said  Fred, "and  one  of  these 
natives  could  discover  the  place  of  deposit." 

"Quite  likely,"  said  the  Doctor,  "but  he  would  be  intelligent  enough 
to  know  tiiat  the  records  would  bring  a  Jiandsome  reward  to  whoever 
fotnid  them,  and  there  could  be  no  danger  from  such  a  cause.  Suppose 
th(3re  had  been  a  native  of  King  William  Land  able  to  read  when  the 
Franklin  records  were  lying  about  in  the  hands  of  the  children,  or  ex- 
posed to  the  winds  on  the  rocks.  Every  scrap  of  paper  would  have  been 
carefully  collected  and  carried  to  one  of  the  stations  on  Hudson's  Bay ; 
instead  of  waiting  more  than  ten  years  for  deliuite  information,  we  should 
have  known  the  fate  of  the  expedition  in  a  couple  of  years  at  farthest,  and 
the  history  of  its  work  would  have  been  preserved." 


COAL   AND  WHALES. 


U 


'  "But  to  return  to  tlio  subject  of  coal,"  paid  the  Doctor;  "there  is 
plenty  of  coal  in  the  fur  North,  I  believe,  but  it  has  never  been  utilized, 
partly  owing  to  the  difficulties  of  njining  it,  and  partly  becaub„  it  is  of 
very  poor  cpuility." 

"Unless  1  am  misinformed,"  re8i)onded  Connnandor  Bronson," the 
most  of  the  coal  found  in  the  islands  and  along  the  coast  c"  Hio  far  North 
— with  the  exception  of  a  large  seam  of  anthracite  at  Lady  Franklin  JJay 
— contains  so  much  8id[)hur  that  it  is  dangerous  to  burn  it  in  the  fiu'naces 
of  steamships,  on  account  of  its  eating  away  the  iron  of  the  Hues." 

"Yes,"  answered  the  Doctor;  "one  summer  when  I  was  in  Alaska  we 
made  a  trip  to  the  Aleutian  Islands.  On  one  of  the  islands  there  is  a  iino 
bed  of  coal,  so  close  to  the  water  that  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  get  it  out. 
We  stopped  there  a  couple  of  days,  and  filled  our  bunkers,  and  then 
steamed  off  in  high  spirits.  But  wo  soon  found  that  the  sulphur  in  the 
coal  was  destroying  our  flues,  and  the  unconsumed  stuff  was  pitched  over- 
board. We  made  the  discovery  just  in  time:  our  engineer  said  that  if 
we  had  gone  on  with  it  another  day  there  would  have  been  danger  of 
setting  fire  to  the  ship.  When  we  returned  to  Sitka  it  was  !!ccessary  to 
replace  nearly  all  the  flues  with  new  ones,  but  we  were  consoled  by  learn- 
ing that  others  had  made  the  same  mistake." 

"There  she  blows!"  said  Captain  Jones,  pointing  rather  excitedly  at 
the  spout  of  a  whale  a  few  hundred  yards  to  windwaixl. 

The  convei-sation  relative  to  the  Arctic  Ocean  came  to  a  sudden  stop, 
and  the  entire  party  rushed  to  the  rail  to  see  the  "  monster  of  the  deep." 

"Eighty  barrels  of  oil  in  hiu),"  said  the  captain.  "Wouldn't  he  give 
us  a  fine  stock  for  winter  evenings  at  the  North-pole?" 

"Then  we  wouldn't  have  so  nnicl:  occasion  for  the  coal  depots  we 
have  just  heard  about,"  exclaimed  George. 

"Let's  capture  him,"  said  Fred,  "and  cut  up  his  blubber  for  the  en- 
gine-room. Wouldn't  the  propeller  send  us  along,  with  such  stuff  as  that 
for  fuel!"  '     . 

Evidently  the  whale  was  not  at  all  frightened,  and  perhaps  he  mistook 
the  ship  for  one  of  his  own  family.  He  slowly  came  up,  until  he  was  net 
fifty  yards  away,  and  then  made  a  cotnplete  circuit  of  the  Vivian.  Fred 
wanted  to  shoot  at  hiip.  "just  for  fun,"  and  started  below  for  a  rifle;  Cap- 
tain Jones  called  him  back,  and  said  the  shooting  could  not  be  allowed, 
and  with  that  the  3'outh  resumed  his  place  at  the  rail. 

"It  would  have  done  no  good  to  shoot  at  him,"  said  the  captain, "and 
might  have  done  harm.  Perhaps  he  would  have  dived  after  getting  your 
shot,  and  come  up  a  long  distance  away,  and  perhaps  he  might  have  come 


H 


iil 


kI 


-  ;  ' 


M 


40 


THE   VOYAOE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


\\y  directly  Iioiicntli  the  sliip,  niul  j^ivoii  ns  a  bIiocU  tliut  would  Imvo 
8ti'ai!K!(l  lis  Bt'vert'ly,  or  pof^siljly  SL'iit  us  to  tlie  bottom.  Sii«;h  tiiiuj^s  liuvo 
hapjKMicd,  mid  there  are  several  instances  of  wliales  having  attacked  ships, 
l)reuking  in  their  sides  and  convertiiii;  them  into  helj>less  wrecks.  The 
whale-shi[)  Emex  was  destroyed  by  a  whale  in  this  way,  and  so  was  the 
Union;  other  shijts  have  been  attacked,  and  thoro  is  no  good  in  takinj; 
a  shot 'just  for  f nil,' as  yon  say." 


AN   INCIDENT   OF   THE   WHALE-FUIIERT. 


Fred  assented  readily  to  the  captain's  suggestion,  and  concluded  that 
a  shot  at  anything  for  mere  sport,  whether  on  land  or  sea,  was  not  to  be 
recommended.  lie  inwardly  resolved  that  the  lesson  should  not  be  lost 
on  him,  and  to  strengthen  his  resolution  he  imparted  it  to  George,  tvho 
promptly  agreed  with  him. 

Soon  another  whale,  and  in  a  little  while  another,  were  reported  in 
sight,  somewhat  to  the  discomfort  of  Captain  Jones,  who  regretted  passing 
such  magnificent  game  without  trying  to  capture  it. 

"Why  didn't  we  rig  the  sliip  for  a  whaling  cruise  as  well  as  for  an 
arctic  exploration  ?"  said  one  of  the  youths ;  "  then  we  could  have  had 
the  sport  of  killing  whales,  and  made  a  nice  profit  from  the  oil," 

"  Very  good  in  theory,"  remarked  the  Doctor,  "  but  the  practice  would 
not  have  been  so  good.     Whaling  would  delay  our  explorations,  and  per- 


WHALE-FI8HINU   IN   THE  ICE. 


47 


haps  rnlu  tlioin  nltoijotlier;  you  can't  |)ut  mmi'iico  and  coinmorcc  fjiiito  bo 
cloHO  to^etlior  uifliout  making  ono  or  Ixitli  of  tliom  Biifl'cr.  A  hotter  way 
woiikl  bo  to  iiiako  ono  cruiso  entirely  as  a  whaler,  aM<l  ant»th(!r  in  the 
interestrt  of  science;  then  you  woiihhi't  run  tho  risk  of  gettinj^  tliin^H 
mixed." 

"A  voyage  after  whales  would  ho  an  excellent  preparation  for  a 
seleiititic  one,"  remarked  tho  captain,  as  ho  overheard  the  conversation 
hetweon  tho  Doctor  and  tho  youths.  "  Vou  make  an  intimate  ac(piaint- 
ance  with  tho  ice-tiolds,  berijs,  tloes,  and  packs,  and  what  a  man  doesn't 
know  about  ice  after  a  few  whaling;  vttya^es  is  hardly  worth  findinii;  out. 

"The  best  whale-fishing  is  now  close  in  upon  tho  ice,  and  very  often 
you  <i;o  for  your  game  where  tho  bergs  and  packs  are  thic^k.  Tho  first 
whale  1  ever  struck  in  tho  Anitic  Ocean  was  along-side  of  a  great  berg, 
lil«!  a  mountain,  and  when  we  hit  him  ho  tried  to  get  under  the  ice  to 
escape  us. 

"We  sighted  him  from  tho  berg,  where  some  of  the  sailors  had  been 
sent  to  try  to  find  fresh  water,  tho  shi))  meantime  standing  on  and  off 
mider  full  saii.  Of  course  when  they  saw  tho  whale  they  dropped  all 
idea  of  water  and  we. it  for  the  prize ;  he  cost  us  inoro  than  three  hours 
hard  fighting,  and  at  ono  time  it  looked  as  though  he  would  got  off  in 
spite  of  us.  lie  doubled  around  tho 
})oint  of  tho  berg  with  the  harpoon 
in  him,  and  if  he  had  cut  tho  lino 
against  the  ice  wo  should  have  lost 
him.  In  ono  way  the  ice  helped  tis, 
as  he  finally  went  into  a  little  nook 
or  (cove),  in  tho  berg,  where  ho  got 
bewildered,  and  gave  us  a  chiince 
to  finish  him  up. 

"  I  once  saw  a  whale  caught  in 
an  iceberg,"  the  captain  continued  ; 
"  or,  rather,  he  was  pretty  well  up 
towards  the  top  of  it." 

"  How  did  that  happen  ?"  said 
one  of  the  listeners. 

"  I'll  tell  you,"  responded  the  mariner.  "  I  was  in  the  Robert  Gihbft^ 
of  New  Bedford,  off  the  southern  end  of  Greenland,  and  we  hadn't  seen  a 
whale  for  several  days.  But  we  kept  a  sh.arp  lookout  all  the  time,  partly 
for  whales  and  partly  to  steer  clear  of  the  ice.  One  day  we  were  sailing 
along  within  a  mile  or  so  of  a  big  berc:  that  was  driftins:  south  with  the 


LOOKOUT   ON   AN   ICEBERG. 


[ 


48 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


current,  and  seeu)ed  to  have  ever3'thing  its  own  way.  I  was  np  in  tlie 
crow's-nest,  and  had  my  eyes  on  the  berg,  when  suddenly  about  a  third  of  it 
broke  off  from  one  side  with  a  report  Lke  tliuiider,  and  went  crashing  and 
splashing  into  the  water. 

"  The  part  that  broke  off  changed  the  balance  of  the  rest,  so  that  the 
berg  turned  about  half-wa;  over.  One  side  went  under  water,  while  the 
other  canie  out,  and  the  side  that  came  out  brought  a  whale  along  with  it, 
and  lifted  him  nearly  a  hundred  feet  into  the  air.  lie  was  in  a  hollow  in 
the  berg,  not  large  enough  for  him  to  swim  in,  but  high  enough  in  the 
sides  to  keep  him  from  getting  over. 

"  lie  splashed  about  and  made  things  lively,  and  the  more  he  thrashed 
the  less  water  there  was  for  him  to  live  in.  1  shouted,  'there  she  blows!' 
and  pointed  to  the  iceberg,  and  away  went  a  boat  to  capture  him. 

"  The  boat  made  fast  to  tiie  berg,  and  the  boat-steerer  went  on  the  ice 
with  a  lance,  though  he  had  a  hard  time  getting  up  the  slippc  v  side.  But 
he  got  to  the  whale  after  a  while  and  finished  him  with  the  lance,  and 
then  we  wondered  what  to  do  with  him. 

"It  wasn't  exactly  safe  to  go  to  chopping  the  ice  enough  to  make  a 
channel  for  the  whale  to  slip  through  to  the  water,  as  our  blows  would  be 
likely  to  split  the  berg  again,  and  let  us  into  the  ocean  among  the  falling 
ice.  Then  it  would  be  a  long  job  to  cut  off  the  blubber  where  he  was, 
and  carry  it  away  in  the  boats,  aftei*  sliding  the  pieces  into  the  watei",  and 
nobody  could  tell  what  minute  the  berg  might  turn  over  again.  * 

"  It  wasn't  a  large  whale — about  fifty  barrels  or  so — but  it  was  too  good 
to  be  lost.  The  captain  looked  the  business  all  over,  and  then  hit  on  a 
plan  which  we  at  once  carried  out. 

"  We  rove  ropes  around  a  dozen  empty  casks,  and  fastened  the  ends  of 
'em  together,  so  that  the  lot  looked  like  a  bunch  of  toy  balloons  which  the 
peddlers  sell  on  Broadway.  Then  we  towed  the  casks  along-side  the  berg, 
close  to  where  the  whale  was,  and  carried  up  the  rope  tliat  held  the  bunch. 

"  We  made  it  fast  to  his  flukes  to  prevent  its  working  loose,  and  then 
we  went  back  to  the  ship.  «      .  . 

"  The  boats  were  all  hauled  in,  and  then  we  made  sail  and  brought  the 
bhip  within  aboiit  five  Inmdred  yards  of  the  perpendicular  side  of  the 
berg.  We  fired  several  times  at  the  berg  with  a  small  cannon,  in  the  hope 
that  the  concussion  might  shatter  it  and  make  it  turn  over  again ;  but 
though  we  brought  off  some  large  pieces  it  didn't  turn  as  we  wanted. 

"Then  we  went  back  with  one  of  the  boats,  taking  along  some  powder 
in  a  tin  canister,  a  long  piece  of  safety-fuse,  and  the  tools  we  needed  for 
making  a  deep  hole  in  the  ice.     We  drilled  a  big  hole  just  back  of  the 


4 

«4' 


SCORESBY'S  VOYAGES. 


49 


wliale ;  then  we  pnt  down  the  canister  of  powder,  with  the  fuse  attached, 
and  filled  the  hole  up  with  the  line  ice  we  had  chiselled  out  of  H.  Wlien 
all  was  ready,  everybody  but  one  man  went  back  to  the  boat,  and  then  he 
lit  the  fuse  and  followed  too.  Yoi'  can  be  sure  he  made  the  best  of  time 
down  the  slope,  and  the  boat's  crew  never  did  better  pulling  than  when 
they  were  getting  away  from  that  berg. 

"We  got  to  the  ship's  side  before  the  powder  blew  up.  It  split  off  a 
great  piece  of  the  berg  and  let  the  whale  down  into  the  water,  where  he 
was  kept  from  sinking  by  the  casks  tied  to  his  tail.  When  the  commotion 
was  over  we  went  and  picked  him  up,  and  in  a  little  while  had  his  carcass 
along-side,  and  were  cutting  him  in.  I  reckon  that  was  about  the  only 
whale  ever  killed  on  the  top  of  an  iceberg. 

"Talking  about  mixing  up  the  whaling  business  with  arctic  explora- 
tion," continued  Captain  Jones,  "you'll  find  we  are  indebted  to  the  whalers 
for  a  great  deal  that  has  been  learned  about  the  polar  regions.  For  in- 
stance, there  was  Captain  Scoresliy,  who  flourished  in  the  early  part  of  this 
century;  he  combined  the  capture  of  whales  with  the  pursuit  of  science, 
and  when  he  was  not  busy  with  the  chase  of  a  whale,  he  was  making  ob- 
servations on  the  ice-packs  and  currents. 

"  Scoresby  made  more  than  thirty  voyages  to  the  arctic  regions ;  he 
believed  in  the  open  polar  sea,  and  in  1806,  when  whales  were  scarce,  he 
endeavored  to  prove  the  correctness  of  his  theory.  He  sailed  into  the  ice- 
barrier,  and  reached  latitude  81°  30'  N.  before  he  was  compelled  to  return, 
riendrik  Hudson  had  previously  reached  the  same  latitude  in  the  Spitz- 
bergen  seas,  but  the  record  of  Scoresby  was  the  best  made  by  a  whaler 
down  to  that  time.  Altogether  he  was  full  of  adventure,  as  he  passed  the 
SOth  parallel  in  fifteen  of  his  voyages,  surpassing  everybody  else  before  o)- 
since  his  time. 

"  He  was  full  of  courage  in  his  fights  with  the  whales,  and  had  many 
narrow  escapes.  Once  his  ship  was  in  a  bay  that  had  been  freshly  frozen 
over;  the  ice  was  so  thin  that  it  wonld  not  bear  the  weight  of  a  man,  and 
too  thick  to  be  broken  by  rowing  a  boat  through  it.  Whales  were  in  the 
bay,  and  there  were  holes  where  they  came  up  to  breathe,  and  Scoresby 
wanted  to  get  at  thfem.    '        "  ,   '      '■:  ,    ■     v    '      '  .  . 

"  He  went  to  work  and  made  what  he  called  '  ice-shoes ;'  they  were  of 
thin  plank,  six  feet  long  by  a  foot  wide,  and  in  the  centre  of  each  plank 
he  made  a  place  where  his  foot  could  be  held  by  straps.  With  these  shoes 
he  slid  along  the  ice  to  the  holes  where  the  whale:  came  up  to  breathe, 
and  there  he  harpooned  them  at  his  convenience. 

"  But  after  he  had  struck  the  harpoon  into  a  whale  the  rough  part  of 

4 


!^;-  il 


t: 
t 


fe  i 


50 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


the  business  came.  The  creature  dived,  and  by-and-by  came  up  to  breathe, 
and  wlien  lie  rose  lie  wasn't  particular  whether  he  came  to  a  hole  or  made 
a  new  one  with  his  back.  Scoresby  followed  on  his  ice-shoes  to  where  he 
Jhought  the  whale  would  come  up,  and  if  he  made  a  good  guess,  he  gen- 
erally succeeded  in  finishing  him  ofP.  . 


CAPTAIN   8CORK8BY. 


"  Once  he  calculated  a  little  too  closely,  for  the  whale  came  up  right 
under  where  he  stood,  and  sent  the  old  captain  into  the  air,  ice-shoes  and 
all.  But  there  happened  to  be  some  strong  ice  close  by,  so  he  skipped  out 
of  his  ice-shoes  and  made  for  the  solid  ice,  where  he  could  stand  in  safety." 

"There  were  two  Scoresbys,"  said  the  Doctor, "and  I  presume  it  is  of 
the  elder  you  are  speaking." 

"Yes,"  answered  Captain  Jones;  "I  forgot  to  say  there  were  two  of 


ORIGIN  OF  BRITISH  EXPEDITIONS. 


51 


them,  father  and  son.  Both  were  named  William :  the  father  did  not  be- 
fr'm  his  seafaring  life  till  1790,  when  he  was  thirty  yeare  old,  and  he  died 
in  1829.  The  son  ran  away  to  sea  in  one  of  the  father's  ships  when  he 
w^as  only  ten  years  old,  and  six  yeare  later  he  had  risen  to  the  rank  of  tiret 
mate.  The  elder  Scoresby  made  many  improvements  in  whaling,  and  it 
was  he  that  invented  and  used  the  ice-shoes  I  told  about.  He  commanded 
the  ship  Resolution^  when  she  made  the  northward  voyage  in  1806  to  lat- 
itude 81°  30',  and  at  that  time  his  son  was  second  officer  under  him.  The 
son  was  the  first  to  make  scientific  observations  on  the  electricity  of  the 
polar  regions,  and  he  made  so  many  contributions  to  the  geography  of  the 
far  North  tiiat  his  work  has  been  long  regarded  as  a  high  authority." 

"  He  had  a  good  deal  of  correspondence  with  Sir  Joseph  Banks,"  the 
Doctor  remarked,  "  and  it  was  this  correspondence,  and  the  various  reports 
of  Captain  Scoresby,  that  led  to  the  equipment  of  several  important  expe- 
ditions by  the  British  Government." 

We  doff  our  caps  to  the  Scoresbys,"  said  Commander  Bronson,  "and 
they  are  worthy  of  all  the  honor  their  successors  can  give  them." 

The  attention  of  the  party  was  called  to  an  object  on  the  water  almost 
ahead  of  the  ship,  and,  as  they  neared  it,  the  eyes  of  the  youths  were 
strained  to  their  utmost  to  make  out 
the  strarige  sight.  Flocks  of  birds 
were  circling  about, or  settling  on  the 
waves,  and  there  was  a  commotion 
in  the  water  that  resembled  a  small 
whirlpool. 

"  There  she  doesn't  blow !"  said 
the  captain,  as  soon  as  he  turned  his 
gaze  in  that  direction. 

Then  he  explained  that  what  they 
saw  was  nothing  but  the  stripped  car- 
cass of 
had  hold 
"and  his 

verted   into   oil,  somewhere   beyond 
the  horizon. 

"  The  birds  are  having  a  rare  feast 
on  what  l!ie  huntsmen  of  the  sea  have  left,  and  that  is  why  you  see  so 
Tuany  of  them.    The  sharks  are  in  for  their  share  as  well,  and  they  are 
kicking  up  a  lively  commotion  in  the  water.     They  are  dangerous  cus- 
tomer for  the  birds ;  anything  is  game  for  them  that  they  can  get  hold 


A   MMROD   OF   THE  SEA. 


'    f 


^ 


I       : 


i 


tit' 


^' 


inttiii 


R    >  MP  -I 


li 

■<  'k 

'■'" ' ' 

52 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


of,  and  if  you  were  near  enougli  you  would  see  a  bird  go  uuder  every 
few  miiMites,  and  become  food  for  a  shark. 

"The  sharks  make  it  risky  sometimes  for  the  men  who  are  cutting  in 
a  whale.  A  man  has  to  go  down  on  the  whale's  back  to  start  the  strip 
of  blubber,  and  if  he  misses  his  footing  while  there,  and  slips  into  the 
water,  he  runs  a  groat  chance  of  being  swallowed  by  a  shark.  The  back 
of  a  wiiale  isn  t  the  best  footing  in  the  world;  you  must  have  spikes  in 
your  boots,  or  voollen  stockings  over  them,  and  even  then,  when  a  ship 
is  rolhng  and  tlie  whale  is  bobbing  about,  there  is  great  danger  of  slipping. 
After  the  strip  is  started  the  man  climbs  into  'the  chains,'  where  he  has 
a  better  footing,  and  can  chop  away  witii  the  spade  as  fast  as  tiie  blubber 
is  unrolled." 

As  tiie  Vinan  passed  the  drifting  carcass  some  of  tlie  birds  flew  awa}', 
but  their  plac3S  were  promptly  tilled  by  others,  and  there  was  no  decrease 
in  the  number.  The  captain  said  that  sometimes  the  carcass  of  a  whale 
floated  after  being  stripped  and  cast  adi-ift,  while  at  others  it  sank  instant- 
ly. Why  it  should  float  at  one  time  and  sink  at  another  was  a  mystery 
nobody  had  been  able  to  explain.  And  he  further  said  that,  sometimes 
when  a  whale  is  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  he  will  sink  as  rapidly  as  a 
stone,  without  any  apparent  motion  of  fins  or  tail. 

The  conversation  continued  for  some  time,  and  touched  a  variety  of 
topics,  until  dinner  was  announced.  The  next  day  and  the  next  there 
were  more  stories  about  the  whale-fishery,  and  for  a  wr  .k  or  more  Captain 
Jones  contributed  freely  to  the  amusement  of  the  youths. 

One  day  he  was  describing  an  adventure  with  a  sperm-whale  in  the 
South  Pacific;  just  as  he  was  in  the  middle  of  his  story,  it  was  suddenly 
interrupted  by  the  announcement  of  a  sail  ahead,  which  threw  everybody 
into  a  state  of  excitement. 


I 


A  FEAST  FOR  SHARKS  AND  SEA-BIRDS. 


53 


if^a''fl 


> 

o 
>■ 

V. 

> 
O 

7> 


1 , 


I   ; 


4.  .  .  i 


54 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


rJI: 


hi  -iV 


w. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MEETING  A  STRANGER.— SOMETHING  ABOUT  KAMCHATKA. 

GEORGE  and  ired  looked  for  the  sail  that  had  been  sighted,  but  it 
was  some  time  before  they  could  »nake  it  out.  Even  when  they  did 
see  it  there  was  little  more  than  a  speck  on  the  horizon,  but  it  was  clearly 
distinguishable  to  the  experienced  eyes  of  the  commander  and  the  cap- 
tain. The  latter  declared  it  was  a  bark,  even  before  he  brought  his  glass 
to  bear  upon  it;  after  a  long  look  at  the  stranger,  he  said  it  was  probably 
the  Beliring^  on  her  way  from  Petropavlovsk  to  San  Francisco.  The 
youths  had  a  suspicion  that  the  latter  announcement  wais  entirely  guess- 
work, and  based  upon  tlie  captain's  knowledge  that  the  JBehring  was  on 
her  way  southward,  and  was  due  about  that  titne.  Whether  they  were 
right  or  wrong  in  their  supposition,  they  had  no  way,  for  the  present  at 
least,  of  finding  out. 

On  the  course  they  were  sailing  they  were  not  likely  to  come  very 
nesT-r  the  stranger,  as  she  was  a  long  distance  to  leeward.  Captain  Jones 
ordered  the  Vivian  to  change  her  bearing,  and  thus  the  two  vessels  grad- 
ually approached  each  other.  An  hour  or  so  before  sunset  they  were 
within  signalling  distance,  and  the  guess  of  Captain  Jones  turned  out  to 
be  correct.  For  the  last  two  hours  pens  had  been  busy  on  board  the 
Vivian^  and  lettere  were  ready  for  despatch  to  San  Francisco.  George 
and  Fred  wrote  brief  accounts  of  their  voyage,  for  the  benefit  of  friends 
at  home,  and  Commander  Bronson  embraced  the  opportunity  to  say  what 
he  thought  best  to  the  owners  of  the  Vivian.  The  most  that  any  of  the 
pa'ty  could  say  was  that  everybody  was  well,  the  voyage  had  been  delight- 
ful thus  far,  the  ship  was  all  that  could  be  desired,  and  the  stores,  so  far 
as  they  had  been  examined,  were  in  excellent  condition. 

The  signal,  "we  desire  to  communicate,"  was  hoisted  by  the  Vivian, 
and  the  Bekring  responded  by  announcing  that  she  would  heave  to. 
Then  the  Vivian  signalled, "  we  will  send  a  boat."  As  soon  as  the  two 
vessels  were  hove  to  away  went  the  boat  from  the  ViviarCs  side,  in  charge 
of  the  second  officer.    The  captain  suggested  that  one  of  the  youths 


A  VISIT  ON   THE  OCEAN. 


65 


might  go  ill  the  boat :  there  was  a  passage  of  politeness  between  Fred  and 
George,  each  urging  that  the  other  should  have  the  honor  and  novelty  of 
the  expedition,  and  as  they  could  not  decide  upon  it,  the  question  was  sub- 
mitted to  the  commander.  The  latter  promptly  declared  that  the  elder 
of  the  twain  should  go,  and  without  another  word  Fred  descended  the 
rope-ladder  and  took  his  seat  in  the  boat. 

She  danced  rapidly  over  the  waves,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  Fred 
was  on  the  deck  of  the  Behring,  exchanging  salutatioiia  wUh  her  captain. 
He  was  nearly  knocked  over  by  a  large  dog,  that  showed  a  desire  to  be 
familiar  without  the  formality  of  an  introduction,  and  the  brute  continued 
iiis  attentions  until  dragged  away  by  one  of  the  sailors.  The  captain  ex- 
plained that  the  dog  was  from  Ka:  cliatka,  and  had  never  been  used  to 
polite  society ;  he  was  on  his  way  to  San  Francisco,  where  it  was  hop^d  his 
mannere  would  be  improved.  Fred  observed  that  the  animal  was  luontical 
with  wliat  he  had  seen  in  the  pictures  of  the  Esquimaux  dog,  and  the 
captain  confirmed  his  opinion  by  declaring  that  the  Esquimaux  and 
Kamchatka  dogs  are  precisely  the  same.  • 

'  Fred  delivered  the  package  of  letters  for  San  Francisco,  and  gave  the 
captain  several  newspapers  of  recent  date.  Then  the  second  officer  handed 
over  a  small  parcel  addressed  to  "the  bark  Behring ;''''  it  contained 
letters  that  had  been  sent  from  San  Francisco,  on  the  chance  that  the 
Vivian  might  meet  her,  or  be  able  to  leave  the  missives  where  they  could 
be  delivered.  On  the  way  back  to  the  Vivia7i  the  officer  explained  to 
Fred  that  it  is  the  custom  to  send  letters  in  this  way  by  every  ship  leav- 
ing port  for  a  direction  in  which  another  is  supposed  to  be. 

"  My  father,''  said  he,  "  was  the  captain  of  a  whaler  in  the  old  times, 
when  they  sailed  from  New  Bedford  and  came  home  again,  three  or  four 
years  later,  with  the  ship  filled  with  oil  and  bone.  My  mother  used  to 
write  by  every  ship  that  sailed  for  the  Pacific  Ocean ;  not  more  than  one 
letter  in  twenty  ever  reached  my  father,  but  of  course  that  one  was  wel- 
come enough  to  be  a  consolation  for  the  loss  of  the  rest." 

The  Behring  had  sailed  from  Petropavlovsk,  in  Kamchatka,  and  was 
on  her  way  to  San  Francisco,  and  her  captain  had  nothing  of  consequence 
to  report.  He  invited  our  friends  below,  and  of  course  they  accepted  the 
invitation,  but  did  not  stay  long,  as  it  was  getting  late  and  there  was  no 
occasion  for  further  delay.  Just  as  they  were  leaving  the  cabin  he  re- 
marked that  the  officials  at  Petropavlovsk  were  preparing  to  receive  a 
French  ship,  which  was  shortly  expected  on  its  way  to  the  Arctic  Ocean. 
Letters  had  been  received  from  the  French  Government  for  the  officers 
of  the  ship,  and  with  it  came  a  message  that  the  Gallic  explorers  had  been 


Ji  I'll 


n 


\  f. 


\ 


:il 


III 


50 


Tin:   VOYAGE    OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


instructed  to  stop  at  Petropavlovsk  fur  their  final  iiistnietioiis.     He  could 
not  give  the  name  of  the  ship,  nor  tell  anything  further  than  that  such  a 


cr 


aft 


was  ex  pec 


^ted. 


The  Jichring  filled  away  on  her  course  for  San  Francisco,  and  her 
(Mew  joined  in  a  farewell  cheer  to  the  Vivian^  as  the  boat  of  the  latter 
started  on  its  i-etiu'ii.  Just  as  the  sun  went  below  the  horizon  the  boat 
was  hoisted  in,  and  the  Vivian  turned  her  sails  to  the  breeze  that  bore  her 
to  the  northward.  Fi'cd  was  overjoyed  at  his  part  in  the  incident  of  visit- 
ing a  ship  at  sea,  and  George  was  not  far  behind  in  excitement.  Only 
those  who  have  made  long  sea  voyages  can  appreciate  the  feelings  of  the 
youths.  A  meeting  at  sea  is  a  great  relief  ;  >  the  monotony  of  sailing 
over  the  wide  expanse  of  waters,  and  every  inciuent,  however  trivial,  be- 
comes an  event  of  the  greatest  importance. 

When  Fred  nuide  his  report  to  Cuunnander  Bronson,  he  caused  some 
perplexity''  to  that  gentleman.  The  story  was  a  confirmation  of  what 
lie  liad  heard  while  the  Viviaii's  preparations  were  going  on — that  a 
French  expedition  was  on  its  way  to  the  Arctic  Ocean  by  way  of  Behring 
Strait.  He  desired  to  co-operate  in  a  friendly  way  with  any  expedition  to 
the  })olar  seas,  without  regard  to  its  nationality,  and  when  the  repoil 
reached  him  lie  wrote  at  once  to  the  American  minister  in  Paris  for  any 
information  he  could  obtain  concerning  it.  The  latter  could  learn  nothing 
definite  on  the  subject,  as  the  French  are  very  reluctant  to  let  their  neigh- 
bors know  what  they  are  doing  in  the  line  of  explorations,  and  so  the  com- 
mander had  pretty  nearly  dismissed  it  from  his  thoughts. 

The  information  derived  from  the  captain  of  the  Behriug  had  thrown 
new  light  upon  the  subject,  and  he  at  once  thought  it  would  be  of  advan- 
tage to  meet  the  French  ship  at  Petropavlovsk,  with  a  view  to  co-operation. 

"  How  much  would  it  take  us  out  of  the  direct  course  to  Behring 
Strait,"  he  inquired  of  Captain  Jones,  "if  we  should  touch  at  Petro- 
pavlovsk ?" 

"  About  a  thousand  miles,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  can  tell  you  almost  to  a 
mile  b}'  measuring  on  our  charts." 

"  Never  mind  for  the  present,"  responded  the  commander ;  "  perhaps 
I  will  ask  you  more  on  the  subject  to-morrow." 

"As  we  are  now  steering,"  the  captain  explained,  "  we  shall  go  through 
the  Oonimak  Passage  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and  enter  Behring  Sea. 
If  we  steer  for  Petropavlovsk,  we  shall  leave  the  whole  Aleutian  chain 
to  the  northward,  and  go  several  degrees  farther  west  than  we  expect  to 
at  present." 

Command'     Bronson  made  no  reply;  the  captain  discreetly  ventured 


Ic  COlllll 

t  Buch  a 

and  her 
lie  latter 
the  boat 
bore  her 
;  of  visit- 
t.  Only 
rs  of  the 
f  sailiiii;; 
'ivial,  ho- 
sed pome 

of  what 
I — tliat  a 
'  JJehring 
3dition  to 
10  repoi't 
8  for  any 
1  nothing 
}ir  nelgh- 

tho  coui- 

u  thrown 
of  advan- 
:)pe  ration, 
Ijohring 
at  Petro- 

niost  to  a 

"  perhaps 


0 


tlirongh 


rin<x  Sea. 
lau  chain 
expect  to 


AVATCHA  AND  ITS  COMrAXlONS. 


57 


H 


I 


i  \\:. 


tl 


\'m 


ven 


tured 


58 


TIU:   VOiACiE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


.1 


a  I'Ginai-k  uhniit  tlio  woatlio',  ami  walked  to  tho  biniiaelo  to  sec  how  the 


m 


sliij)  was  headed. 


Tho  coiumaiider  went-  ^i»  his  cal)hi,  but  tho  yontlis  reiiiaine<l  on  deek  and 
begati  to  discuss  tiic  |H'oh'il)ilitIes  of  their  visiting  Potropavlovsk.  (leorgo 
romarked  that  Petioi  ;alovsk  was  the  |)i'incipal  scttlenient  of  tho  penin- 
sula of  Kaniciiatka,  and  ho  was  sure  it  would  bo  a  very  interesting  place. 

Dr.  Toinier  joined  then),  and  to  the  question  as  to  whether  he  had  ever 
been  in  Kamchatka,  he  gave,  to  their  delight,  an  affirmative  answer. 

"I  was  there  several  years  ago,"  said  he,  "and  prol>ably  tho  country 
has  not  changed  in  any  apprei^Mable  degree  since  my  visit.  There  is  noth- 
ing to  change,  or  but  very  little,  as  the  population  is  snnvll,  and  does  not 
devote  iloolf  to  buildiiii'  rp.ilwavs  or  otherwise  nuikinj;  imitroveinents.'' 

O  4.  CD  I 

"Please  tell  us  something  »bout  Kamchatka,  and  what  you  saw  there," 
said  George.  "If  wo  go  there  tho  information  will  bo  useful,  and  if  we 
do  not  visit  Potro[)avlovsk,  or  any  other  port,  we  shall  have  learned  some- 
thing at  any  rate," 

"Well,"  replied  the  Doctor,  settling  himself  into  a  deck-chair,  and 
evidently  making  preparations  for  a  long  di^sertation,  "  Kamchatka  is  at 
the  north-western  e\i;remity  of  Asia,  as  you  can  sco  by  a  glance  at  the  map. 

"  It  is  not  by  any  means  as  cold  as  you  might  suppose,  from  its  position 
so  far  to  the  north.  In  fact,  it  is  too  warm  t(  allow  the  inhabitants  to 
raise  wheal." 

The  youths  looked  at  each  other  with  sm'prise,  but  were  too  well-bred 
to  indicate  a  disbelief  in  tho  Doctor's  assertion. 

"That  statement  requires  explanation/'  continued  Dr.  Tonner,  "and  it 
is  simple  enough  when  you  understaiid  it.  Kamchatka  is  a  country  of 
volcanoes  and  earthquakes ;  three  volcanoes,  two  of  them  extinct,  and  the 
third  Old}'  acting  sluggishly,  are  in  sight  froin  Potropavlovsk,  and  there 
are  others  in  more  distant  parts  of  tho  peninsula.  The  underground  fires 
make  the  earth  warmer  than  it  should  be  for  agrieultui'al  purposes,  and 
when  I  landed  iii  Kamchatka,  and  asked  why  they  did  not  make  their 
own  flour,  they  told  me  the  summers  were  too  short  for  the  cultivation  of 
spring  wheat;  and  as  for  winter  wheat  it  was  invariably  killed,  because  the 
warmth  of  the  earth  caused  it  to  sprout  before  the  juow  Uiolted. 

"Thoy  have  had  no  severe  earthquakes  for  a  long  time,  but  there  are 
several  mild  shocks  every  year.  When  I  was  there  I  was  invited  to  dine 
with  the  govertior;  we  were  about  half  thiough  with  our  dinner  when 
there  came  a  shock  of  an  earthquake  that  threw  down  the  chimney  of  the 
house,  and  shook  the  building  so  violently  that  it  nearly  overturned  the 
table  where  we  sat.     I  don't  like  dining  under  such  circumstances,  and  we 


MOUNTAINS  Ol'   KAMCHATKA. 


5i» 


i 


I  If 


HI 


;ji 

,1  n 

1 

III 

1 

i:^ 

Miiif'' 


eo 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


didn't  fiiUBh  tlio  meul.  The  governor  apologized,  i\nd  I  tried  to  langli 
over  the  oceurreneo,  bnt  the  fiict  is,  I  wus  too  scared  to  do  so.  The  cap- 
tain of  our  ship  was  of  tiie  party,  and  as  ho  lived  in  San  Francisco  when 
not  at  sea  ho  was  ahle  to  take  tilings  coolly,  ami  declared  that  ho  always 
had  an  earthquake  for  the  third  or  fourth  course  at  diiuier. 

"  Petropavlovsk  is  one  of  the  prettiest  places,  so  far  as  the  situation  is 
concerned,  that  you  over  saw.  It  is  on  a  great  bay,  nearly  circular  and 
twenty  miles  across,  with  an  entrance  two  miles  wido  frotn  the  ocean. 
The  bay  is  surrounded  by  mountains,  and  as  you  enter  it  the  most  majestic 
of  them  all  is  directly  in  frow-  The  mountain  gives  its  name  to  the  bay,  or 
tho  bay  to  the  mountain,  I  don't  know  which.  At  all  events,  tho  expanse 
of  water  is  called  Avatcha  IJay,  and  the  mountain  is  Avatclm  Mountain. 
It  is  a  magnificent  huubnark,  and  can  be  seen  through  a  clear  atmosphere 
nearly  a  hundred  miles  at  sea. 

"  I  shall  never  forget  tho  scene  as  wo  entered  the  bay  on  a  bright  morn- 
ing in  July.  The  tops  of  tho  mountains  were  white  with  snow;  half-way 
down  their  sides  the  color  changed  to  a  barren  brown,  while  tho  base  of 
every  hill  was  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  forest  which  half  suggested 
the  tropics.  Tho  dark  green  of  the  forest  was  in  several  places  relieved  by 
a  strip  of  white  beach,  which  separated  it  from  tho  waters  of  the  bay,  so 
that  altogether  tho  picture  had  a  great  deal  of  variety.  Around  the  bay 
there  are  some  little  harbore  —  eight  in  all — completely  landlocked,  and 
furnishing  admirable  shelter  to  ships  that  seek  them.  On  one  of  these 
harbors  Petropavlovsk  is  situated ;  the  anchorage  is  enclosed  like  a  pond, 
and  the  only  winds  that  a  ship  has  any  occasion  to  fear  are  the  sharp  blasts 
that  come  down  from  the  mountains. 

"  We  sailed  into  the  great  bay  with  tho  breeze  that  was  blowing  in 
from  the  ocean,  but  as  we  approached  the  little  harbor  it  was  necessary  to 
move  with  caution.  Our  sails  were  furled  one  by  one,  and  for  the  last 
mile  or  more  we  sent  a  line  on  shore  and  were  warped  to  our  anchorage. 
All  the  population  came  out  to  meet  us,  and  our  line  was  grasped  by  dozens 
of  willing  hands.  Ordinarily,  not  more  than  half  a  dozen  ships  enter  Pe- 
tropavlovsk in  a  year,  so  that  an  arrival  is  an  event  of  importance. 

"From  the  time  of  Captain  Cook  and  his  fellow-exploi-ers  Petropavlovsk 
has  been  famous  for  its  hospitality,  and  all  travellers  who  have  been  there 
are  warm  in  its  praise.  Our  party  was  kept  in  constant  activity  diu-ing  our 
stay,  and  the  number  of  dinners  and  parties  that  were  made  in  our  honor 
is  frightful  to  contemplate.  It  was  in  tho  middle  of  summer,  with  the 
thermometer  generally  above  70°,  and  by  the  end  of  the  first  week  I  was 
])retty  well  used  up." 


;!:ii 


A  TOWN  TENANTED   HY  D008. 


01 


Fred  nsked  if  retropavlovHk  wiw  >i  largo  town,  and  what  it  lived  upon. 

♦'  It  is  not  a  lar<jjo  town,  from  oiir  point  of  view,"  responded  Dr.  "onner, 
"hut  it  is  the  larjjjest  in  Kanu;hatka,  uiul  is  tlio  capital  of  tlio  p'Miinsida. 
IJefore  the  Crimean  War  it  had  nearly  two  thousand  inhabitants,  tne  most 
of  them  heinjjf  laborers  and  sailors  connected  with  the  "government  service. 
It  was  attacked  twice  by  the  combined  English  aiul  French  lleets;  in  the 
Hist  attack  the  tlcet  was  repulsed,  but  in  the  following  year  seventeen  ships 
were  too  much  for  it  and  the  town  was  abandoned,  and  thereby  hangs  an 
annising  story. 

"The  Ilussian  authorities  knew  of  the  immense  preparations  for  the 
second  assault,  and  sent  orders  for  the  inhabitants  to  retire  when  the  fleet 
arrived,  and  allow  it  to  land  without  opposition.  The  fleet  came  into 
Avatcha  JJay,  and  the  town  was  deserted;  but  the  people  left  behind  them 
their  dogs,  which  they  use  in  winter  for  dragging  their  sledges.  There 
was  one  man,  an  American,  in  the  town,  and  more  than  five  hundred  dogs. 


FORT  ST.  Michael's,  or  michaelovski. 

The  brutes  kept  up  a  perpetual  howling,  and  the  commanders  of  the  fleet 
concluded  that  there  must  be  a  very  large  garrison  in  Petropavlovsk  to 
keep  so  many  watch-dogs;  and  so  the  seventeen  English  and  French  ships 
waited  a  whole  day  before  venturing  to  send  a  boat  on  shore  to  a  deserted 
town  !  When  they  did  so,  they  had  the  consciousness  of  being  beautifully 
'sold.' 

"The  principal   business   of  Kamchatka,  in   fact   the    only  business 


I 

i 


I 


m 


6^ 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVUN." 


f     n 


KAMCHATKA   SAULKS. 


aniountiiig  to  anything,  is  the  fnr  trade,  and  the  chief  contribntor  of 
furs  is  the  sable.  The  animal  is  caught  in  a  variety  of  ways,  and  the 
annual  catch  is  about  six  thousand.  Thv  yessak,  or  poll-tax,  of  the  natives 
is  payable  in  salile-skins — one  skin  to  every  four  pareoiis — and  once  a  year 

the  governor  makes  the  tour  of  the 
country  and  collects  the  tax.  The 
trade  is  on  the  barter  principle,  as 
there  is  very  little  money  in  the  coun- 
try; the  people  bring  their  furs  to 
the  stoi'es  of  the  merchants,  and  ex- 
change them  for  whatever  commodi- 
ties they  want." 

George  asked  if  they  did  not  get 
a  good  many  bear-skins,  and  the  skins 
cf  foxes  and  others,  in  addition  to  the 
sable-skins. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  they 

do,  but  the  sable  is  the  animal  of 

greatest  consequence.  They  get  about 

a  thousand  common  fox-skins,  and  a  few  silver  foxes  and  sea-otters,  and 

once  in  a  while  they  get  a  curiosity  in  the  shape  of  a  black  fox. 

"  The  government  claims  evei'y  black  fox  as  the  propei'ty  of  the  em- 
peror, and  when  the  governor  learns  that  one  has  been  taken  lie  requires  it 
to  be  surrendered,  as  a  present  to  his  imperial  master." 

"  And  does  the  emperor  get  it? '  one  of  the  youths  inquired. 
"  He  is  more  fortunate  than  I  think  lie  is  if  iie  does,"  said  the  Doctor, 
in  answer  to  the  question.  "Siberian  governors  are  human, and  it  is  not 
impossible  that  the  skin  which  should  be  sent  to  the  emperor  is  privately 
sold  to  an  American,  or  other  foreign  mei'chant,  and  sent  out  of  the  coun- 
try. The  emperor  is  not  likely  to  hoar  anything  about  it — and  even  if  he 
does,  the  governor  «  m  declare  that  it  is  a  long  time  since  a  real  black  fox 
was  caught. 

"The  silver  fox  and  the  black  fox  are  both  liable  to  be  demanded  for 
the  enperor,"  he  continued, "  and  the  result  is  that  the  governor  doesn't 
usually  hear  about  them.  When  a  native  catches  a  silver  fox,  or  by  great 
good-luck  a  black  one,  he  conceals  the  fact,  and  also  the  skin.  Then  he 
goes  to  one  of  the  foreign  merchants,  and  pledges  him  to  secrecy  before 
admitting  what  he  has  to  sell. 

"As  the  merchant  has  a  chance  to  buy  the  skin  for  about  half  its 
value,  he  is  easily  induced  to  be  silent,  especially  as  he  might  be  compelled 


HOW  A  COW  CAUGHT  A  BEAR. 


to  o-ive  up  the  prize  if  the  story  sliould  reach  tlie  ears  of  the  governor. 
Thus  it  happens  that  the  silver  and  gray  foxes  do  not  adorn  the  neck  of 
the  emperor  as  often  as  they  might,  if  tlie  subjects  of  the  Imj)erial  Gov- 
ernment were  better  treated.  They  would  be  willing  to  sell  it  to  the  gov- 
ernment at  a  fair  price,  but  ro  give  it  up  for  httle  or  nothing  is  not  in 
accordance  with  the  feelings  of  human  nature." 

"  But  about  the  bears  ?"  queried  George  again. 

"They  have  great  numbers  of  bears  in  Kamchatka,"  replied  the 
Doctor, "  but  their  skins  are  not  used  for  exportation.  The  bpaoLs  grow 
very  large,  and  they  are  not  agreeable  companions  when  one  meets  them 
in  the  woods.  The  beai-s  are  brown  or  black;  I  have  seen  their  skins 
more  than  six  feet  long,  and  been  assured  that  the  animals  they  originally 
belonged  to  were  not  considered  at  all  extraordinary.  Bear-hunting  is 
one  of  the  amusements  of  the  country,  but  there  is  a  good  deal  of  danger 
to  it.  I  went  out  on  a  bear-hunt  one  day  with  some  friends,  a  few  miles 
from  Petropavlovsk,  and  was  not  at  all  sori*y  that  we  returned  without 
seeing  any  game.  I  remembered  the  story  of  the  California  hunter  who 
followed  the  track  of  a  grizzly  bear  for  nearly  two  days,  and  then  gave  it 
lip  because  it  was  getting  a  little  too  fresh.  As  long  as  the  bear  is  far  off 
I  enjoy  a  hunt,  which  I  can't  say  always  when  he  is  close  at  hand. 

"  They  told  me  a  stoi-y  of  a  cow  coming  home,  a  year  or  two  before 
my  visit,  with  a  bear  on  her  back.  She  had  made  his  acquaintance  a 
short  distance  back  of  the  town,  and  probably  concluded  that,  as  a  dutiful 
cow,  she  should  take  him  to  her  master.  She  was  not  much  hurt  by  the 
performance,  but  it  was  observed  afterwards  that  she  pi'eferred  to  do  her 
grazing  in  the  vicinity  of  her  own  stable.  Formerly  she  had  been  ad- 
dicted to  wandering  in  the  woods,  but  her  habits  were  completely  changed 
by  her  adventure." 

The  Doctor  rambled  on  with  his  experiences  of  Kamcliatka  till  it 
was  time  to  go  to  bed.  The  youths  had  a  good  many  questions  to  ask, 
and  were  by  no  means  slow  to  ask  them,  and  before  the  party  broke  up 
they  had  accumulated  knowledge  enough  for  the  production  of  a  news- 
paper article  on  this  odd  corner  of  the  world.  They  learned  that  the 
country  had  an  aboriginal  population  of  about  six  thousand,  and  loss  than 
a  thousand  Russiim  inliabitants — the  latter  being  pretty  evenly  divided 
between  Cossacks  and  the  descendants  of  exiles.  The  Doctor  explained 
that  there  were  no  exiles  in  the  country,  as  none  had  been  sent  there  since 
1830,  and  all  these  had  been  pardoned  long  ago.  Hardly  any  of  the 
original  exiles  are  living  at  present,  but  their  children  are  often  men- 
tioned as  exiles^  to  distinguish  them  from  the  Cossack  or  native  population. 


■  '  ■■    i    . 

4-1 

'V,    ■- 


ail!  I 


\um    i 


$ 


64 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


MOUSTKD   COSSACKS. 


S«-::. 


iiiiM^ 


"  What  is  a  Cossack?"  Fred  inquired,  "and  in  what  does  lie  differ  from 
the  soldier  and  the  peasant?" 

"  I  will  try  to  explain,"  the  Doctor  answered, "  and  perhaps  the  best  way 
for  beginning  is  to  compare  the  Cossack  to  a  militiaman  in  the  United 
States.  lie  is  sort  of  half  soldier,  half  peasant;  ho  lives  with  his  family, 
and  is  engaged  in  agricultural  or  other  occupations,  but  is  required  to  give 
a  certain  number  of  days  every  year  to  the  service  of  the  government. 
In  some  parts  of  Russia  the  Cossack  is  required  to  serve  on  horseback, 
providing  his  own  horse  and  equipments,  but  this  is  not  the  case  in 
Kamchatka.  In  war  he  becomes  a  soldier,  and  does  excellent  service  in 
annoying  the  enemy;  in  ordinary'  times  he  does  any  kind  of  work  the 
government  may  require.  He  may  be  called  on  to  row  a  boat,  drive  a 
team,  build  roads,  cut  forests,  tend  the  governor's  garden,  or  possibly  take 
his  children  out  to  walk. 

"  To  show  the  authority  of  the  government  over  the  Cossacks  I  will 
give  you  an  illustration:  In  1856  it  was  determined  to  colonize  the  valley 
of  the  A  moor  River  in  Siberia.  There  was  a  Cossack  population  in 
Eastern  Siberia,  and  the  governor-general  gave  orders  that  a  hundred 
villaiies  should  be  transferred  to  the  Amoor. 


/ 1 


RUSSIAN  COSSACKS. 


65 


"The  order  was  carried  out  without  delay.  In  each  case  the  old  vil- 
hvf^e  was  abandoned  for  the  new  one,  a  thousand  miles  away ;  the  people, 
with  their  household  goods,  cattle,  and  other  portable  possessions,  were 
floated  on  rafts  down  the  Anioor  to  the  points  that  had  been  selected  for 
their  homes.  In  the  new  village  each  family  found  itself  with  the  same 
nei<''hbors  as  of  old,  and  everything  went  on  as  before.  The  government 
supplied  them  with  food,  and  paid  a  part  of  the  expense  of  building  new 
houses,  but  of  course  the  move  was  a  severe  loss  to  the  people,  as  they 
abandoned  the  fields  they  had  cultivated,  and  were  forced  to  make  new  ones 
in  the  country  to  which  they  were  carried.  The  oi'dinary  peasant  popula- 
tion of  Russia  cannot  be  moved  about  in  this  way,  but  the  government  can 
do  pretty  much  as  it  pleases  with  the  Cossacks." 


!' 


i!: 

n 

:>. 

(/) 
-I 

r» 


•< 

> 


tj 


A    VILLAUK    ON    THE    AMOOll   UIVKK. 


"  Haven't  I  read  somewhere,"  said  one  of  the  youths,  "  that  a  Cossack 
is  a  robber  ?" 

"Quite  likely  j'ou  have,"  was  the  reply, "and  in  many  cases  you  are 
not  so  far  out  of  the  way.  In  some  parts  of  Russia  the  Cossacks  indulge 
ill  robbery  to  an  extent  greater  than  accords  M-ith  our  notions  of  honesty, 
and  this  is  particularly  the  case  along  the  frontier  of  Central  Asia.     The 


v\\ 


I  111 


ji||y: 


III; 


66 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


word  'kazak'  in  Turkish  means  robber,  but  its  Tartar  interpretation  is 
the  equivalent  of  soldier.  Most  of  the  inhabitants  of  Eastern  Siberia 
are  Cossacks;  the  whole  country  was  originally  explored  and  settled  by 
Cossacks  escaping  from  punishment  which  had  been  decreed  for  some 
improper  conduct  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Don.  Their  leader,  Yermak, 
received  an  imperial  pardon  for  himself  and  his  men,  in  consideration  of 
the  addition  they  had  made  to  the  empire,  and  ior  this  reason  the  Cos- 
sacks of  Siberia  are  naturally  proud  of  tiieir  ancestry. 

"  The  Cossack,  in  many  parts  of  Russia  though  not  in  all,  has  a  dress 
peculiar  to  himself.  He  wears  a  tall  hat  of  sheepskin  with  the  wool  out- 
side ;  sometimes  its  color  is  jet  black,  but  more  frequently  it  is  of  a  dingy 
white,  caused  by  the  contact  of  the  wool  with  a  good  deal  of  dirt.  He  has 
wide  trousers  and  a  flowing  coat ;  he  carri<  s  his  cartridges  in  a  row  across 
his  breast,  and  his  arms  consist  cf  a  lance,  a  carbine,  and,  generally,  a  pair 
of  huge  pistols  stuck  in  his  waist;  if  he  is  a  mounted  soldier,  he  has  a 
small  but  very  tough  horse.  When  an  army  is  on  the  retreat,  in  Russia, 
the  Cossacks  are  a  terror,  as  they  pick  off  all  the  stragglers  and  make  sud- 
den attacks  in  unexpected  places.  If  you  have  read  the  story  of  Napo- 
leon's retreat  from  Moscow,  you  will  remember  what  devastation  was 
caused  by  the  Cossacks  during  the  march." 

With  this  desultory  lecture  on  Kamchatka  and  its  people  the  evening 
came  to  an  end. 


RUSSIAN    CARPENTERS. 


■■!t 


A  CHANGE  OF   PLAN. 


ftf 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  VISIT  TO  KAMCHATKA. 

THERE  was  a  long  conference  the  next  morning  between  Commander 
Bronson  and  Captain  Jones  relative  to  the  movements  of  the  Vivian. 
It  was  held  in  the  cabin  immediately  after  breakfast,  and  required  fre- 
quent consultation  of  the  chari  oi  tlie  North  Pacific  Ocean.  The  chart  was 
spread  on  the  table,  and  several  real  or  imaginary  courses  of  the  ship  were 
pencilled  upon  it. 

"  We  shall  have  more  sailing  to  do,''  said  the  captain, "  if  we  go  to 
Kamchatka  instead  of  steering  directly  for  Behring  Strait;  but  if  the 
wind  continues  to  blow  from  the  north,  we  shall  make  better  headway  by 
going  farther  to  the  west  than  if  we  keep  directly  towards  the  strait.  At 
present  it  is  almost  a  head-wind,  and  by  steering  more  westerly  we  shall 
iiave  it  on  the  beam. 

"We  shall  be  pretty  certain  to  lose  time  at  the  Aleutian  Islands  on  ac- 
count of  the  fogs.  I  have  been  a  week  getting  through  the  Oonimak  Pas- 
sage; the  fog  was  so  thick  I  could  not  get  an  observation,  and  it  is  dan- 
gerous to  beat  around  in  that  region  without  knowing  exactly  where  you 
are.  I  have  known  ships  to  be  kept  there  a  fortnight,  waiting  for  a  good 
chance  to  pass  the  Aleutian  Islands.  Once,  when  I  was  second  mate  of 
the  Bover,  we  sailed  through  the  passage  and  W3re  shut  in  by  the  fog  im- 
mediately after.  The  fog  lasted  three  days,  without  any  wind,  and  when 
it  lifted  we  found  we  had  been  carried  back  by  the  current,  and  had  to 
make  the  passage  over  again," 

The  captain  paused  while  Commander  Bronson  mada  a  calculation  on 
a  slip  of  paper.  As  soon  as  it  was  concluded, he  went  on  with  the  "pros 
and  cons"  of  the  direct  and  indirect  voyages  to  Behring  Strait. 

The  result  of  the  calculation  was,  that  there  would  be  a  loss  of  about 
ten  days  altogether  in  case  the  Vivian  went  to  Petropavlovsk  instead  of 
proceeding  directly  to  the  strait.  Even  with  this  loss  there  would  be 
ample  time  to  get  into  the  Arctic  Ocean  in  season  to  take  advantage  of 
thf,  summer;  consequently,  Commander  Bronson  decided  in  favor  of  the 
indirect  voyage. 


\m 


1^^  :  11 


W.f: 


'    I 


n 


i-li 


s      ■ 
t     1 


S  t 


'  1  : 


li 


m 


GS 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE    "VIVIAN." 


The  course  of  tlie  ship  was  immediately  changed,  and  it  was  announced 
to  all  on  board  tliat  Petropavlovsk  would  be  their  first  port. 

There  were  light  winds  and  fogs,  fogs  and  light  winds,  with  now  and 
then  a  corner  of  a  galu,  fc  the  rest  of  the  way  across  the  Pacific.  Not  a 
sail  was  seen,  and  there  « as  little  to  break  the  monotony ;  occasionally 


AVATCHA   MOUNTAIN. 


the  Vivian  passed  through  schools  of  whales ;  there  was  hardly  a  day 
when  she  was  not  surrounded  by  sea-birds;  and  several  times  the  youths 
,  found  their  attention  drawn  to  seals  swimming  close  to  tl.e  track  of  the 
ship.  The  captain  said  it  was  not  unusual  to  find  these  amphibious  creat- 
ures three  or  four  hundred  miles  from  land.  They  appear  evtsry  summer 
on  the  Fur  Seal  Islands,  in  or  near  the  Aleutian  chain,  and  after  raising 


•  ARRIVAL  AT  PETROPAVLOVSK. 


GO 


rlieir  families  eloee  to  the  liabitations  of  men  they  go  away,  nobody  knows 
where. 

One  day  the  captain  made  his  observation  at  noon,  and  after  figuring 
out  his  position,  announced  that  they  ought  to  see  Avatcha  Moinitain 
about  four  in  the  afternoon.  At  that  hour  everybody  was  on  the  lookout ; 
and  not  five  minutes  after  eight  bells  had  been  struck,  the  captain  pointed 
out  something  on  the  horizon  closely  resembling  a  cloud. 

"That  is  Avatcha  Mountain,"  said  he,  "and  it  is  about  eighty  miles 
from  us." 

It  was  two  or  three  minutes  before  George  and  Fred  could  determine 
the  position  of  the  mountain,  which  lay  almost  dead  ahead  on  their  course. 
Even  when  they  made  it  out,  they  were  not  altogether  certain  till  tliey 
compared  it  with  the  picture  on  the  chart,  and  satisfied  themselves  it  was 
not  a  conical  cloud. 

The  ship  sailed  slowly  along  durijig  the  night,  and  by  morning  was 
within  twenty  miles  of  the  coast.  At  nine  o'clock  fires  were  kindled  un- 
der the  boilers,  and  by  noon  they  were  steaming  inside  the  entrance  to  the 
i)ay,  and  heading  for  the  anchorage  in  front  of  the  little  town.  Captain 
Jones  said  that  the  sailing  directions  for  reaching  the  harbor  were  practi- 
cally the  same  as  made  by  the  ofiicers  of  Captain  Cook's  famous  expe- 
dition more  than  a  century  ago.  Avatcha  Bay  and  the  harbor  of  Petro- 
pavlovsk  were  surveyed  by  Lieutenant  Bligh,  who  accompanied  Captain 
Cook,  and  afterwards  became  known  to  the  world  for  his  connection  with 
the  romantic  story  of  the  mutiny  of  the  Bounty.  "From  all  accounts," 
said  the  captain, "  Bligh  was  an  admirable  navigator  and  a  detestable 
brute.  He  has  left  a  record  of  splendid  seamanship  and  the  i  »st  heart- 
less tyranny.  The  mutiny  of  the  Bounty  was  the  natural  result  of  his 
brutal  treatment  of  her  officers  and  (jrew,  and  his  escape  from  the  perils  of 
a  voyage  of  four  thousand  miles  in  an  open  boat  illustrates  his  skill  as  a 
sailor." 

The  red  roof  of  the  little  church  at  Petropavlovsk  was  a  prominent 
object  in  the  picture  before  our  friends  as  the  Yiviaii  steamed  to  her  an- 
chorage. George  brought  his  glass  to  bear  on  the  chVirch,  and  discovered 
that  the  building,  though  crowned  with  a  dome,  had  no  belfry ;  by  looking 
closely  he  made  out  that  the  bells  were  hung  under  a  little  roof  at  one  end 
of  the  church,  and  quite  apart  from  it.  Conunander  Bronson  explained 
that  it  was  not  at  all  uncommon  in  Russia  for  the  churches  to  have  their 
bell-towers  entirely  apart  from  the  structure.  Fred  asked  the  reason  for 
it,  but  the  conundrum  was  not  answered. 

The  Russian  flag  floated  from  the  staff  in  front  of  the  governor's  house. 


m 

Kill  ;. 


f  i;i 


H 


i  n 


m 


70 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


CHURCH  AT  PETROPAVLOVSK. 


and  a  cannon  at  the  little  wharf  near  by  boomed  ont  its  welcome.  Several 
boats  put  ofE  from  shore,  the  first  bringing  the  Captain  of  the  Port,  an 
ofiicial  without  whose  authority  it  was  impossible  to  go  on  shore  or  do  any- 
thing else.  He  was  a  portly  individual,  wearing  the  uniform  of  his  rank, 
and  decorated  along  his  breast  with  a  row  of  stars  and  crosses.  Captain 
Jones  whispered  to  the  youths  that  there  is  no  country  in  the  world  where 
the  officers  have  so  many  decorations  as  in  Russia,  and  they  need  not  be 
surprised  to  meet  a  young  lieutenant,  hardly  out  of  his  majority,  wearing 
at  least  half  a  dozen  decorations  which  had  been  given  for  services  in  time 
of  peace.  What  a  war  might  give  him,  provided  he  lived  through  it,  was 
hardly  to  be  computed. 

As  soon  as  the  Captain  of  the  Port  had  completed  his  inspection  and 
retired  there  was  liberty  for  others  to  come  on  board,  or  for  the  officers  of 
the  Vivian  to  go  on  shore.  Two  or  three  resident  merchants,  ard  the 
ca[)tain  of  an  American  ship  lying  at  anchor  in  the  harbor,  were  soon  on 
her  deck  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  strangers,  and  invite  them  to  tlie 
hospitalities  of  the  place ;  last  came  an  ofticer  from  a  French  bark  which 
lay  just  beyond  the  sand-spit  marking  tlie  entrance  of  the  harbor,  and 
which  Commander  Bronson  had  rightly  conjectured  to  be  the  craft  which 


// 


ON  SHORE   IN  KAMCHATKA. 


'1 


he  wished  to  see.  Excusing  himself  from  the  otliers,  he  turned  his  aiien- 
tion  to  the  latest  visitor,  and  learned  that  the  Gallic  explorer  was  the  bark 
Gaiahetta,  and  had  arrived  only  three  days  before.  It  was  her  comniav 
(ler's  intention  to  remain  two  or  three  days  longer:  he  had  been  inforn^Ci; 
of  the  voyage  of  the  Vivian,  and  hoped  she  would  visit  Petropavlovsk  '  '^• 
fore  his  departure. 

Captain  Jones  and  Major  Clapp,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Doctor 
and  our  yoinig  friends,  did  the  hoiiors  to  the  other  visitors,  and  in  a  little 
while  the  coinmander  went  on  shore  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  governor; 
ho  was  accompanied  by  the  major  and  the  Doctor.  Fred  and  George  em- 
braced the  opportunity  to  have  a  stroll  around  tlie  town,  and  on  the  hills 
near  the  harbor,  and  we  can  be  sure  it  was  a  great  pleasure  for  them  to  set 
foot  on  solid  earth  after  nearly  a  month  on  boa'  'n?>.  George  declared 
that  his  steps  were  unsteady  for  the  first  half  irule  so,  and  Fred  could 
not  resist  an  inclination  to  adjust  himself  to  .  ^^t  i  .  expected  rolling  or 
pitching  every  time  he  raised  a  foot. 


i  i;^f 


• 


■5: 


:■  i 


m  i, 


DOG-SLEDGI.NO    IN    KAMCHATKA. 


But  they  soon  forgot  all  about  their  month  at  sea  with  the  novelty 
of  the  sights  around  them.  They  realized  what  they  had  been  told  of  the 
dogs  of  the  place,  as  they  encountered  some  of  those  animals  at  every  turn, 
and  were  rarely  out  of  sound  of  their  howls.  They  did  not  have  a  high 
opinion  of  the  courage  of  the  dogs,  as  the  most  of  them  ran  away  as  soon 


72 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


Ull 


I 


F'l 


liUi'l 


ns  they  cang'lit  sight  of  tlio  Btrangers;  occfisionally  one  would  stop  a  mo- 
iiiont  to  gaze,  but  he  generally  concluded  to  put  a  good  distance  between 
himself  and  possible  harm.  Near  the  edge  of  the  town  a  dozen  or  more 
dogs  were  tied  to  a  long  pole  supported  on  posts.  Fred  said  the  place  was 
either  a  stable  or  a  dog  boarding-house,  and  he  was  inclined  to  the  latter 
opinion  from  the  smell  of  tish  that  rose  from  it. 

One  of  the  resident  merchants  who  had  visited  them  at  the  ship  joined 
them  in  their  promenade,  and  explained  some  of  the  things  they  could  not 
understand.  Fred  asked  about  the  dogs,  and  the  gentleman  said  his  theory 
was  correct.  "The  dogs,"  said  he,  "are  generally  tied  up  in  summer,  or 
kept  in  pens;  if  allowed  to  run  at  large  they  get  lost  or  injured,  as  they 
are  fond  of  fighting  and  can  get  into  a  quarrel  without  half  trying.  Wo 
tie  them  up  as  you  saw  them,  and  each  dog  gets  one  fish  daily  as  his  ration. 
In  New  York  it  would  bo  extravagant  to  feed  dogs  on  salmon,  but  here  it 
is  the  cheapest  arti(;le  of  food.  The  only  cost  of  salmon  is  the  trouble  of 
catching  it.  When  we  buy  these  fish  we  pay  two  or  three  cents  apiece, 
and  if  I  agreed  to  take  all  that  would  be  caught,  and  pay  one  cent  each, 
1  should  have  half  the  population  at  work  for  me.  Ordinarily,  in  winter, 
there  are  about  two  thousand  dogs  in  and  around  Petropavlovsk,  as  every- 
body has  his  dog-team,  and  many  of  us  keep  several  teams  for  carrying 
freight.  In  summer  most  of  the  dogs  are  sent  to  the  country,  so  that  there 
are  only  four  or  five  hundred  of  them  around  here  at  present. 

"This  place  is  just  like  New  York,"  he  continued.  "The  fashionable 
part  of  the  population  passes  the  summer  in  the  country  or  by  the  sea-side. 
Board  is  cheaper  there  than  here,  as  the  streams  in  the  interior  abound  in 
salmon ;  sometimes  they  are  so  thick  that  they  fill  up  the  stream  altogethei" 
and  drive  out  the  water,  and  a  friend  of  mine  says  he  has  walked  on  them 
as  on  a  pile  of  shingles  or  a  heap  of  potatoes!  ,     - 

"  Perhaps  you  may  think  that  statement  is  too  strong,  and  I  won't  dis- 
pute you ;  but  they  really  are  so  abundant  that  the  bears  and  dogs  catch 
their  own  fish  out  of  the  brooks,  and  the  bears  soon  get  so  dainty  that  they 
will  only  eat  the  backs  of  those  they  catch.  The  fish  keep  on  going  up  the 
stream  till  their  tails  are  worn  off  against  the  rocks,  and  I  have  repeatedly 
seen  them  taken  from  the  water  with  nothing  but  the  bone  protruding 
where  the  tail  ought  to  be ! 

"And  perhaps  you  may  be  sceptical  about  the  dogs  catching  their  own 
fish?     Look  there!" 

As  he  spoke  he  pointed  to  where  a  couple  of  dogs  were  standing  in  the 
water  at  the  edge  of  the  bay,  and  evidently  waiting  for  something  to  turn 
up.     They  were  so  far  out  that  little  more  than  their  backs  were  visible, 


THE   USES  OF  SALMON, 


18 


nud  tliey  hold  thoir  noHcs  just  on  a  level  with  the  siirfiice  of  the  water. 
They  wore  standing  perfectly  motionless,  like  sport ing-dog^-'  on  a  "point," 
jiiid  the  gentleman  said  they  were  foraging  for  their  breakfast  luid  waiting 
for  salmon. 

Suddenly  one  of  the  dogs  darted  his  head  under  water  with  the 
rapidity  of  a  flash,  and  there  was  a  lively  commotion  for  a  minute  or 
more.  It  ended  in  favor  of  the  dog,  who  came  ;ip  triumphant  with  a 
balnion  of  his  own  catching  in  his  jaws,  and  brought  him  safely  to  shore. 


DOUH   CATCUINU   FISH. 


"Even  the  cows  and  horses  oat  salmon,"  said  their  guide,  "but  they 
never  imitate  the  example  of  the  dogs,  and  catch  their  own  food.  It  is 
proper  to  explain  that  they  pi-efer  grass,  and  generally  stick  to  it  when 
it  can  be  obtained.  We  give  them  dried  salmon  in  winter,  and  if  we 
run  &liort  of  hay  they  soon  get  accustomed  to  this  odd  food.  There  is  one 
cow  here  that  will  leave  grass  in  summer  and  make  a  meal  off  fresh  sal- 
mon ;  but  she  is  an  exception,  and  not  a  rule. 

"  We  feed  the  dogs  on  lish  the  whole  year  ronnd ;  they  eat  it  in  every 
shape  —  fresh,  dry,  putrid,  boiled,  smoked,  or  any  other  form  yon  can 
imagine.  One  fish  a  day  is  a  dog's  ration ;  when  he  is  travelling  he  only 
gets  half  that  amount,  and  the  day  before  he  starts  on  a  journey  he  gets 
nothing  at  all." 

"  It  seems  cruel  to  treat  them  so,"  one  of  the  youths  remarked,  "  but  o^ 
course  you  know  from  experience  what  is  best  for  them." 


!    .  I 


I 


^5 


'   '  M, 


;■ 


Uli 


a  ill 


l^i 


,,;:; 


ir 


ii  ' 


i 


il 


74 


THE  VOYAdE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


"  Yes,"  was  the  reply.  "  When  I  Hi-st  came  hero  I  thought  it  was  very 
hard  on  the  do<;s  to  be  only  half  fed  while  at  work,  and  determined  to 
treat  mine  differently;  but  1  fioon  found  I  did  not  ;ifet  so  much  out  of 
them.  They  did  not  travel  as  fast  and  far  as  teams  that  were  kept  in  the 
old  way,  were  sooner  broken  down,  and  were  in  worse  condition  when  the 
summer  came  around  again,  so  I  concluded  to  do  for  the  future  as  the 
natives  did. 

"  Perhaps  you've  heard  enongli  about  dogs?"  he  continued,  "and  if  so, 
we'll  talk  about  something  else." 

George  assured  him  that  they  had  not  begun  to  got  enough  of  the  sub- 
ject, as  they  were  likely  to  make  an  intiumte  acquaintance  with  di»gs  in 
their  arctic  expedition,  and  the  sooner  they  knew  about  them  the  better. 

"Well,  then,"  said  their  informant,  "  let  me  give  you  a  piece  of  advice 
at  the  outset.  When  you  get  among  the  dogs,  and  are  going  to  use  them 
for  travel,  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  make  their  intimate  acquaintance. 
You  must  feed  them  yourself,  and  give  them  all  the  care  they  require: 
have  them  undei-stand  that  you  are  their  master  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 
When  they  do  wrong,  don't  fail  to  punish  them  at  once ;  and  when  they  do 
well,  you  must  be  just  as  prompt  to  reward  them.  You  won't  bo  able  to 
get  up  much  affection  for  them,  and  they  will  obey  you  more  from  fear 
than  from  love.  They  have  treacherous  dispositions,  and  are  not  usually 
capable  of  warm  attachments.  You  know  what  a  reputation  the  spitz  dog 
bears  in  New  York  and  elsewhere;  well,  the  spitz  is  fii-st  cousin  to  the 
Kamchadale  dog,  and  his  name  comes  from  Spitzbergen,  whence  his  an- 
cestors were  imported.  He  has  improved  by  domestication,  but  is  yet  the 
most  undesirable  of  family  dogs. 

"  You  must  drive  your  own  dogs  as  well  as  feed  them,  and  when  you 
begin  to  practice  dog-driving  you  will  find  it  is  no  sport.  The  dogs  will 
take  the  first  and  every  opportimity  to  run  away.  We  harness  them  with 
thongs  of  deer-skin,  and  they  go  in  pairs  with  a  leader,  so  that  a  team 
always  consists  of  an  odd  number.  A  great  deal  depends  on  the  leader; 
he  is  selected  for  his  intelligence  and  docility,  and  a  good  leader  is  worth 
four  or  five  times  as  much  as  an  ordinary  team-dog.  He  turns  to  the  right 
or  left  at  the  order  of  his  driver,  and  frequently  when  the  team  is  tired 
out,  and  drags  slowly  along,  the  leader  will  rouse  them  by  barking,  and 
pretending  that  he  is  on  the  track  of  a  wild  animal.  This  will  stir  them 
up,  and  the  brutes  forget  their  weariness  in  the  excitement  of  the  chase. 

"  There  are  two  kinds  of  sledges  that  we  use,  one  for  travel  and  the 
other  for  freight.  The  travelling  sledge  weighs  about  twenty-five  pounds, 
and  is  just  large  enough  to  carry  one  person  with  a  little  baggage.     The 


TUAVELLINO  WITH  DOG-SLEDGES. 


TB 


driver  sits  vvitli  his  foot  liai)f;in«]f  ovor  tho  eido,  and  clinj^H  to  a  luiw  that 
rises  in  front.  In  one  hand  iio  holds  an  iron-[)uintod  stuff  (uillod  an  osio^ll,, 
whieh  ho  nsos  as  a  brake  to  retard  the  sledijo  while  deseending  hills,  (»r  u^ 
{mw*  it  to  a  halt.  If  yon  drop  tho  ontoll  the  dogs  know  it  as  (piiekly  as 
V(tii  do,  and  take  tho  opi)ortunity  to  rnn  away  or  upset  tho  slodge,  and 
even  the  leader  is  apt  to  join  in  tho  sport. 

"Tho  freight  sledgo  is  mueh  heavier  than  tho  other,  and  sonietlines 
as  many  as  twenty-one  dogs  aro  harnessed  to  it.  Tiie  team  for  a  freight 
sledge  is  not  trained  to  high  speed  like  tho  travelling  team,  and  it  is  never 
well  to  allow  yonr  travelling  dogs  to  bo  used  for  freighting  purposes,  as  it 
id  very  hard  to  get  them  to  ruti  rapidly  when  they  have  onee  practised  a 
slower  gait.  An  ordinary  team  for  travelling  is  live  dogs — two  pairs  and 
a  leader — but  very  often  wo  use  only  thrco  dogs  iii  a  team." 


OKTTINO   READY   FOR  THE    ROAD. 


Fred  asked  how  fast  tiie  dogs  could  travel,  and  what  distances  they 
usually  made  in  a  day. 

"  That  depends  on  the  length  of  the  journey  and  the  condition  of  the 
suuw,"  was  the  reply.  "  For  a  week  or  ten  days  we  are  satisfied  with 
foit  or  fifty  miles  a  day,  if  the  snow  is  good,  and  for  two  or  three  days' 
travel  under  the  same  conditions  we  make  fifty  or  sixty  miles  daily.  I 
have  gone  a  hundred  miles  in  little  more  than  a  dav  with  a  sii.rrle  team, 
and  once  a  team  travelled  from  Bolcheretsk  to  I^«'tropavlovsk--a  hundred 
and  twenty-five  miles — in  twenty-three  hours.  It  made  three  or  lour  halts 
of  not  more  than  fifteen  minutes  each  time.  Tiie  snow  was  excellent,  and 
the  dogs  were  in  the  very  best  condition,  while  tlie  driver  was  a  small  man 


t  i 


•ii 

C/) 

c:: 


CO 

:>  \ 
•2 


i 


>  I 


!,■ 


(I 


ri 


1 

l9|^H|H 

11 

ffi 

t    ' 

1 

re 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


and  had  no  baggage  of  any  kind,     lie  was  a  messenger  bringing  news  of 
the  declaration  of  the  Crimean  War. 

"  We  don't  use  tlie  dogs  for  sledging  in  summer,  as  I  told  you  before, 
but  occasionally  some  of  the  natives  harness  them  up  for  towing  boats 
along  the  shore  of  the  bay  just  to  keep  them  in  practice." 


m  .  :l : 


BOAT  TOWED    UY   DOGS. 


He  pointed,  as  he  spoke,  to  a  boat  which  M'as  coming  along  the  shore, 
and  the  youths  saw  that  it  was  propelled  in  the  manner  described.  Four 
persons  were  in  the  boat,  one  of  whom  steered  it,  while  another  attended 
to  the  tow-line ;  two  others  were  seated  nearly  amidships,  and  evidently 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  management  of  the  craft.  The  team  was  walk- 
ing along  the  bank,  under  the  guidance  of  a  man  armed  with  a  stick,  and 
whenever  they  showed  a  disposition  to  lag  he  impelled  them  forward  with 
his  voice  and  occasional  blows. 

George  said  it  was  certainly  a  novel  mode  of  travelling,  and  a  re- 
minder of  the  old  days  of  going  west  by  canal. 

"  In  North-eastern  Siberia,"  said  their  guide,  "  they  use  dogs  for  ascend- 
ing the  rivers  in  summer  in  the  way  you  see.  From  Ghijiga  light-house 
to  the  village  of  that  name  they  follow  the  liver  a  part  of  tiie  way,  and 


DOGS  AND  REINDEER. 


77 


tlie  journey  is  not  at  all  disagreeable.  Occasionally  tlie  path  shifts  from 
one  bank  of  the  stream  to  the  other,  and  then  the  dogs  and  driver  are 
taken  in  the  boat  to  be  ferried  over.  At  such  times  the  dogs  amuse  them- 
selves by  shaking  the  mud  and  water  from  their  shaggy  coats,  and  it  is 
well  for  a  passenger  to  wear  his  worst  clothes  on  such  journeys. 

"The  best  dogs  in  Siberia  are  in  the  neighborhood  of  Ghijiga  and 
around  Penjinsk  Gulf,  which  is  an  arm  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea.  Most  of  the 
Russians  buy  their  dogs  from  the  natives,  and  there  are  several  villages 
where  the  raising  of  these  animals  is  the  main  business.  Like  everything 
else  of  value  that  we  use,  the  price  is  regulated  by  the  laws  of  supply  and 
demand ;  sometimes  dogs  are  very  cheap,  and  at  others  very  dear." 

Fred  asked  if  the  dogs  of  Kamchatka  were  subject  to  the  same  diseases 
as  the  canines  of  civilized  life. 

"  Quite  as  much,"  said  their  informant ;  "  and  perliaps  we  may  say  that 
they  are  more  so.  They  suffer  greatly  from  hydropiiobia,  and  every  few 
years  thousands  of  them  are  carried  off  by  epidemics.  The  cause  of  these 
epidemics  is  unknown,  and  it  has  happened  that  all  the  dogs  in  a  village 
will  die  off  in  the  course  of  a  fortnight  without  any  apparent  reason.  Some 
of  the  native  tribes  make  sacrifices  to  their  deities,  and  invariably  take  their 
best  dogs  for  the  purpose.  We  have  tried  to  convince  them  that  the  old 
and  useless,  or  even  the  dead  dogs,  would  do  just  as  well,  but  they  refuse 
to  believe  us.  They  show  their  faith  in  the  power  of  the  evil  spirits  by 
offering  up  the  best  of  their  possessions." 

George  asked  if  there  were  any  reindeer  around  Petropavlovsk,  and 
said  if  there  were  he  would  like  to  see  them. 

"We  don't  have  reindeer  in  these  parts,"  was  the  reply.  "You  will 
see  plenty  of  them  on  the  shores  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  when  you  have 
passed  Behring  Strait.  They  are  the  principal  possession  of  the  Chnck- 
chees,  the  tribe  that  occupies  that  part  of  the  co.untry ;  and  when  you  ask 
how  mucix  a  man  is  worth,  they  state  the  amount  in  reindeer,  just  as  you 
state  it  in  dollars  in  New  York." 

Then  the  conversation  shifted  to  a  variety  of  topics.  The  youths 
learned  that  the  place  was  named  Petropavlovsk  in  honor  of  saints  Peter 
and  Paul,  but  they  could  not  ascertain  how  it  happened  to  have  two  names 
when  one  would  have  been  quite  enough.  As  before  stated,  it  had  nearly 
two  thousand  iidiabitants  previous  to  the  Crimean  War,  but  since  that  time 
the  government  has  transferred  its  arsenal  and  naval  depot  to  Xicolayeff 
and  Vladivostok,  farther  to  the  south,  and  the  port  of  St.  Peter  and  St, 
Paul  is  shorn  of  its  importance.  It  now  has  about  three  hundred  inhabi- 
tants, including  a  garrison  of  fifty  soldiers  and  half  a  dozen  officials. 


i  i 


•  I. 

;•> 
"'l 

i 

5:: 


■i,  f; 


(:' 


Ml 


78 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


It  ii 


In  tlie  grounds  of  the  residence  of  the  Captain  of  the  Port  there  is  a 
monninent  in  lionor  of  Vitus  Behi'ing,  whose  name  is  preserved  in  the 
strait  between  America  and  Asia.  On  a  tongue  of  land  is  another  monu- 
ment, but  without  an  inscrip- 
tion; it  is  known  as  the  monu- 
ment to  La  Perouse,  and  the 
Btory  goes  that  a  French  ship- 
of-war  was  once  at  Petropavl- 
ovsk,  and  her  captain  was  in- 
vited to  dine  with  the  governor. 
During  dinner  the  Frenchman 
said  he  supposed  there  was  a 
monument  there  to  La  Perouse, 
as  that  navigator  visited  the 
place  on  the  voyage  which  re- 
sulted in  the  destruction  of  his 
ships  and  their  entire  company. 
"  Certainly  there  is,"  an- 
swered the  Russian,  "  and  I  will 
show  it  to  you  to-morrow." 
He  had  the  monument  made 
and  set  up  during  the  night.  The  next  morning  he  invited  the  French 
captain  to  go  with  him  to  see  it.  Of  course  the  latter  was  delighted,  and 
it  is  to  be  hoped  he  did  not  observe  the  newness  of  the  construction.  The 
memorial  to  Behring  was  paid  for  by  the  olKcers  of  a  Russian  ship,  and 
was  made  in  St.  Petersburg;  the  other  is  of  sheet- iron,  nailed  over  a 
frame  of  wood,  and  was  evidently  constructed  in  a  few  houi-s.  Fred  re- 
marked that  it  was  riddled  with  bullet -holes,  and  learned  that  it  was 
a  favorite  target  for  the  practice  of  anybody  who  chose  to  take  a  shot 
at  it. 

For  the  next  two  or  three  days  the  strangers  had  an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity to  learn  the  extent  of  Russian  hospitality,  which  has  been  already 
mentioned.  There  was  an  endless  succession  of  breakfasts,  dinners,  lunch- 
eons, and  suppers;  and  on  the  latter  occasions  it  was  not  unusual  for  the 
party  to  sit  down  at  the  table  considerably  past  midtiight.  Not  only  did 
they  have  all  the  moals  above  enumerated,  but  whenever  they  entered 
a  Russian  house,  no  matter  how  humble,  and  remained  more  than  five 
minutes,  they  were  greeted  with  a  steaming  tei-urn  and  cups  or  glasses 
of  tea.  lleic  io  the  diary  made  by  George  of  the  repasts  of  a  single 
day: 


MONUMENT  TO   SEHRINO,  PETROPAVLOVSK. 


...a 


A  POLYGLOT  PICNIC. 


t0 


"  Breakfast  on  board  ship. 

Two  cups  of  tea  witli  Mr.  Pfluger. 

One  cup  of  tea  with  Mr.  Pierce. 
Do.      (Jo.       with  Captain  Hunter. 

Do.      do.      at  a  Russian  house  (owner's  name  unpronounceable.) 
Do.      do.  do.  do.  do.  do.  do. 

Luncheon  with  thu  Captain  of  the  Port. 

Cup  of  tea  at  each  of  tliree  houses  where  we  called. 

Dinner  at  the  governor's  house. 

Tea  at  intervals  of  fifteen  minutes  during  the  evening. 

Supper  of  broiled  partridges  at  11.30. 

More  tea. 
P.  S. — Headache  next  morning." 

One  day  there  was  a  picnic  arranged  by  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of 
Petropavlovsk  '^or  the  entertainment  of  the  visitors.  The  latter  included, 
in  addition  to  our  friends,  the  officers  of  the  Gambetta  and  the  officers  of 
an  American  merchant-ship  then  in  port.  Tiie  entertainment  was  held  in 
a  little  grove  about  a  mile  from  town  —  a  short  distance  from  the  spot 
where  the  Russians  i-epulsed  the  men  that  landed  from  the  allied  fleet 
during  the  Crimean  War.  The  picnickers  sat  on  the  grass  under  the  trees, 
after  the  custom  of  picnics  all  over  the  world,  and  our  friends  voted  that 
they  had  a  jolly  time. 

George  said  it  might  be  called  a  polyglot  picnic,  on  account  of  the 
nationalities  represented.  Tiie  entertainers  were  Russians  and  Americans, 
while  t]'.9  guests  were  Americans  and  French,  with  the  addition  of  an 
Italian,  a  Swede,  and  a  Dane.  Conversation  was  somewhat  restricted,  as 
none  of  the  American  or  French  visitors  were  fluent  in  Russian,  and  sev- 
eral of  the  entertainers  could  speak  nothing  else.  But  what  they  lacked 
in  lingual  facility  was  made  np  in  good-will,  and  there  was  many  a  hearty 
laugh  over  the  difficulties  of  being  understood.  George  and  Fred  made  a 
mental  note  of  the  strange  dishes  at  the  feast,  though  they  had  already 
seen  most  of  them  at  the  dinner-tables  of  their  hosts.  There  were  sev- 
eral pirogs,  or  pies,  quite  unknown  to  the  American  table,  and  some  of 
them  were  voted  excellent.  One  was  made  of  salmon  and  eggs,  with  a 
crust  above  and  below ;  another  was  composed  of  the  marrow  of  the  back- 
bone of  the  sturgeon  ;  while  a  third  was  filled  with  partn'^^^os,  cut  in 
halves  and  alternated  with  slices  of  bacon.  Of  course  they  had  tea  in 
abundance,  and  it  was  accompanied  by  numerous  odds  and  ends  of  cakes 
and  patties,  so  that  there  was  no  danger  of  any  one  going  away  hungry. 
In  fact,  when  they  returned  to  the  ship  for  dinner  all  our  friends  confessed 
their  inability  to  do  justice  to  the  repast  which  their  cook  had  prepared. 

A  return  entertainment  was  given  on  board  the  Vivian^  and  another 


5J: 

■w 


-■1 

i 


*5- 


I     r. 


!  I 


f   ?l 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "  VIVIAN." 

on  the  Gambetta,  the  latter  vessel  saililig  a  few  hoiii-s  after  the  last  of  her 
guests  had  left.  The  next  day  the  Vivian  foIloN.sd  her  example,  and 
continued  her  voyage  to  the  northward.  They  passed  the  rocks  known 
as  "The  Three  Druthers,"  in  front  of  the  light-house  at  the  entrance  of 
Avatcha  Bay,  and  were  once  more  on  the  broad  waters  of  the  Pacific. 
The  liros  were  extinguislied,  and  as  the  ship  spread  her  sails  to  the  favor- 
ing wind  Fred  made  a  hast}'  sketch  of  the  rocks,  as  a  souvenir  of  his  visit 
to  a  remote  but  exceedingly  friendly  port. 


"the  three  bhotueks." 


liJ';  M  I 


UEHEING'8  VOYAGES. 


91 


CHx\PTER  VI. 


f">>.. 


BEIIRING'S  ISLAND  AND  BEHRING'S  VOYAGES.— AMONG  THE  CHUCKCHEES. 

SAILING  north  from  Avatclia  Bay  the  Vivian  passed  Behrinoj's  Island, 
in  the  Sea  of  Kamchatka.  The  name  of  the  island  naturally  caused 
the  youths  to  ask  several  questions  concerning  it,  and  they  were  promptly 
answered  by  Dr.  Tomiei". 

"  In  that  island,"  said  the  Doctor,  as  he  pointed  to  one  of  its  I'ocky 
headlands,  "  the  brave  old  navigator  after  whom  it  was  named  died  and 
was  buried,  but  the  location  of  his  grave  is  unknown.  He  deserves  much 
renown  for  his  arctic  explorations,  and  is  worthy  of  additional  fame,  as 
he  is  one  of  the  discoverers  of  America." 

Fred  and  George  were  not  a  little  sui'prised  at  this  announcemeui,  as 
tliey  had  never  hoard  the  name  of  Behring. associated  with  that  of  Colum- 
biit*  or  Americus  Vespucius.  The  Doctor  went  on  with  his  story,  which 
was  about  as  follows:  > 

•'  Peter  the  Great  formed  a  project 
for  making  discoveries  in  the  ocean  be- 
yond KAmchatAa,  and  several  explorers 
were  sent  to  the  eastern  part  of  Asia 
with  that  object  in  view.  Very  little 
was  accomplished  in  the  lifetime  of 
that  monarch,  but  his  plans  were  car- 
ried out  by  his  suwjessors. 

"Behring  sailed  from  Avatcha  Bav  in  Ju' 
eastward.  'On  the  16th  of  July,'  says  Stellei 
who  accompanied  Beh.'ing, '  we  saw  a  mountain  whose  height  was  so  groat 
that  it  -was  visil)le  at  the  distance  of  sixteen  Dutch  miles.  The  coast  of 
the  continent  was  much  broken,  and  indented  with  bays  and  harbors.' 

"  This  discovery  was  made  on  the  day  of  St.  Elias,  and  accordingly  the 
nionntain  -was  named  in  honor  of  that  saint.  If  "ou  wish  to  become  famil- 
iar with  its  location  you  can  look  for  Mount  St.  Elias  on  the  map  of  North 
America.  • 


\-  I 


THE   KUM1N£. 


1741,  and  steered  to  the 
,0  historian  and  natui'alist 


II- 

=1; 


•-a 


hi  m 
Ml 


9ft 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


"  Behiing  sailed  a  short  distance  along  the  coast,  and  visited  several 
islands.  Then  he  steered  for  Kamchatka ;  but  it  was  his  destiny  never  to 
get  there.  In  the  latter  pc»/t  of  the  voyage  he  was  conlined  to  his  cabin 
by  illness,  and  the  crew  suffered  severely  fioin  scurvy.  Steller  says  that 
at  one  time  only  ten  persons  were  fit  for  duty,  and  they  were  so  weak  that 


A   SIBERIAN    FOX-TliAP. 


they  could  not  furl  the  ^saiId.  The  ship  was  thus  left  almost  at  the  mercy 
of  the  wiiid'!,  and  in  this  condition  it  was  drifted  on  a  rocky  island  —  the 
one  now  before  us.  It  was  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rocks,  but  not  until  all 
the  crew  had  reached  the  land  in  safety. 

"There  were  no  human  inhabitants  on  the  island,  but  there  were  a 
great  many  foxes,  and  they  seemed  to  have  no  fear  of  the  shipwrecked 
mariners.  Steller  says, '  We  killed  many  of  them  with  our  hatchets  and 
knives.  They  annoyed  us  greatly,  and  we  were  unable  to  keep  them  from 
entering  our  shelters  and  stealing  our  clothing  and  food.' 

"  Many  of  the  crew  died  soon  after  they  got  on  shore,  but  on  the  whole 
the  life  on  land  seems  to  have  diminished  the  ravages  of  scurvy  among 
those  who  were  not  already  far  gone  with  the  disease.  Eehrint)'  died  on 
the  8th  of  December,  and  was  buried  in  the  trench  where  he  lay.  The 
survivors  of  the  party  built  a  small  vessel  from  the  pieces  of  the  wreck, 
and  managed  to  reach  Avatcha  Bay  with  it.  On  tlieir  arrival  tuey  learned 
that  they  had  been  given  up  for  dead,  and  the  property  they  had  left  in 
Kamf.iiatka  had  been  appropriated  b}'  strangere. 

"The  report  of  the  large  number  of  fur-bearing  animals  on  Behrlng's 


ORIGIN  OF  THE   RUSSIAN   FUR  COMPANY.  89 

Island  and  elsewhere  stimulated  several  adventurers  to  fit  out  expeditions 
ill  the  liojxj  of  making  a  handsome  profit.  The  ships  were  built  in  Kam- 
chatka, or  ill  tlie  ports  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea;  they  were  of  the  rudest  eon- 
strnction,  the  timbers  being  fastened  with  wooden  pins,  owing  to  the  scarc- 
ity or  entire  absence  of  metal  nails,  and  in  some  cases  tlicy  were  tied  to- 
ijcther  with  leathern  tliongs.  The  crevices  were  calked  wUh  moss,  the 
sails  were  of  reindeer  skitis,  and  the  rigging  was  made  of  thotiji(«  of  th<^ 
same  material.  A  good  many  of  these  ships  were  wrex^ked,  bi»t  (A))^v» 
n»ade  the  voyage  safely  and  brought  back  loads  of  furs. 

"Out  of  these  expeditions  grew  the  Russian-American  Tompany,  w!i:i/4) 
received  the  administration  and  control  of  North-western  America,  and  had 
the  exclusive  right  to  tlie  commerce  of  a  vast  territory.  The  company 
oc'Mi))ied  Russian  America  and  the  Aleutian  and  KuriU'  Islands,  and 
jniphed  its  traffic  into  the  Arctic  Ocean.  It  had  a  monopoly  of  trade,  law, 
and  cvervthiriijr  else;  it  reduced  the  inhabitants  to  a  condition  little  better 
than  slavery,  l)y  compelling  them  to  labor  for  the  company  at  any  time 
they  were  wanted,  and  at  whatever  prices  the  <'.ompany  chose  to  pay,  and 
it  managed  to  coiitrol  them  by  keeping  them  always  in  debt. 

"The  cotnpany\s  centre  of  operati*  i>  was  at  Sitka,  but  it  was  not  es- 
taMished  v/itiiont  considerable  opposition  by  the  natives.  At  one  time  the 
natives  were  victorious;  the  Russians  were  driven  from  Sitka,  and  the  fort 
they  had  erected  was  destroyed.  But  (he  invaders  came  back  and  estab- 
lished themselves  firmly ;  complaints  of  their  tyranny  and  abuses  reached 
St.  Petersburg,  and  a  commission  was  .sent  to  investigate  them.  After  that 
time  affairs  went  along  more  smoothly,  the  profits  from  the  trade  in  furs 
were  large,  and  the  company  made  fine  dividends.  But  the  fur-bearing  an- 
imals, principally  the  fur  seal,  were  killed  off  too  rapidly,  the  profits  dimin- 
ished, the  company's  aft'aii's  ran  down,  and  finally  its  title  was  extinguished, 
and  the  country  was  sold  by  Russia  to  the  United  States. 

"  There,  you  have  a  whole  page  of  history,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  and  it  all 
grew  out  of  our  interest  in  the  island  we  are  passing.  Perhaps  you  knew 
it  before,  but  a  repetition  will  do  no  great  harm.  Sitka  is  now  an  Amer- 
ican town,  and  the  flag  of  the  United  States  floats  over  the  former  resi- 
dence of  the  Russian  governor,  on  a  high  rock  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Edge- 
combe. The  fur  trade  is  in  the  hands  of  an  American  company,  which  is 
said  to  make  much  larger  di\idends  to  its  stockholders  than  the  old  Rus- 
sian company  was  ever  able  to  give." 

"But  what  is  Alaska  good  for,  now  that  we  have  it?"  was  the  veiy 
iiatu'-al  and  practical  query  of  one  of  the  yoJiths. 

"That  question  was  very  freely  discussed  at  the  time  we  bought  the 


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THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


fi 


country,"  the  Doctor  answered.  "We  acquired  a  good  deal  of  ice,  j)<)lar 
bears,  and  eimilar  property  with  our  pin-chase,  and  as  an  investment  of 
money  it  is  doubtful  if  the  specuhition  was  a  profitable  one.  From  a  pa- 
triotic point  of  view  it  was  better,  as  it  gave  us  a  large  area  of  territory 
and  removed  the  possibility  of  trouble  between  ourselves  and  Russia  at 
some  future  time.  It  is  a  protection  to  the  fisheries  in  the  Noi'th  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  since  the  purchase  they  have  grown  to  considerable  impor- 
tance. Gold  has  been  discovered  in  several  places,  but  gold  mining  can 
hardly  be  cari-ied  on  with  })rofit,  on  account  of  the  long  winters  and  the 
deep  snows  that  lie  on  the  ground  for  so  large  a  part  of  the  year.  It 
is  possible  that  some  exceptionally  rich  mines  may  be  found,  similar 
to  those  in  (Siberia,  but  up  to  the  present  time  they  have  not  been  dis- 
covered. 

"  But  the  American  eagle  can  scream  more  loudly  than  before  we 
bought  Alaska,  as  there  is  more  for  him  to  scream  about;  and  as  the 
lungs  of  that  l)ird  require  to  be  well  exercised,  we  are  not  so  badly  off  as 
we  might  be  in  the  possession  of  this  frigid  I'egion." 

It  was  arranged  between  the  commanders  of  the  Vivian  and  the  Gaui- 
betta  that  the  ships  would  meet  at  East  Cape,  the  most  north-easterly  point 
of  Asia,  and  forming  one  side  of  Behring  Strait.  Eacb  was  to  make  a 
direct  course  under  sail,  and  the  first  at  the  rendezvous  would  wait  three 
days  for  the  other  before  proceeding.  In  case  of  her  departure  she  would 
lea\c;  a  memorandum  where  it  could  be  found  by  the  other.  There  was 
usually  a  summer  encampment  of  Chuckcliees  at  that  point,  but  they  could 
not  be  relied  on  to  be  there ;  in  case  there  should  be  such  an  encampment, 
the  memorandum  would  be  intrusted  to  its  chief. 

There  was  no  incident  of  consequence  during  the  voyage  from  Petro- 
pavlovsk  to  East  Cape,  but  there  was  enough  to  do  in  reading  up  the  his- 
tory of  arctic  research,  and  observing  the  peculiarities  of  the  high  northern 
latitude,  to  prevent  time  hanging  heavy  on  the  hands  of  our  young  friends. 
Every  hour  they  were  coming  nearer  to  the  Polar  Circle ;  the  days  length- 
ened, till  it  seemed  as  though  there  would  soon  be  no  night,  the  air  was 
perceptibly  cooler,  the  sea-birds  were  more  numerous  than  in  the  dii'ect 
voyage  across  the  Pacific,  whales  and  seals  abounded  in  the  waters,  and 
the  shore,  whenever  they  passed  near  enough  to  discern  its  character,  was 
a  scene  of  desolation.  Entering  the  strait  and  passing  around  the  cape, 
the  captain  said  they  were  within  the  Arctic  Circle,  and  had  reached  the 
regions  of  the  midnight  sun. 

The  Gavibetta  was  at  anchor  in  a  little  bay,  sheltered  from  all  winds 
txcept  from  the  no    'i  and   east;  on  the  shore  was  an  encampment  of 


THE  CAPITAL  OF  ALASKA. 


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THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


natives,  nnd  in  tlie  waters  around  tlie  Cftwil/etta  several  of  tlio  native  boats 
were  plying. 

As  soon  as  the  Vivian  had  dropped  her  anchor  (commander  Bronson 
and  Major  (^lapp  went  on  hoard  the  Gainhetta,  while  Dr.  Tonner,  with 
PVed  and  George,  proceeded  to  the  shore.  The  youths  were  anxious  to 
visit  the  native  village,  and  the  good  Doctor  was  by  no  means  loath  to 
acconipany  them. 

A  Chuckchee  boat  preceded  them,  and  on  the  way  to  the  shore 
George  made  a  sketch  of  the  strange  craft.  Arrived  at  the  land,  the 
native  boat  was  drawn  up  along-side  their  own,  and  the  youths  examined 
it  critically. 

Here  is  the  description  which  (Jeorge  entered  in  his  note-book: 

"  The  Chuckchee  boat  is  uidike  anything  I  ever  saw  in  the  waters 
around  New  York.  Its  native  name  is  hydara,  and  it  consists  of  a  frame- 
work of  wood,  over  which  a  covering  of  <leer-skins  is  stretched.  The 
skins  are  sewn  together  very  tightly,  and,  when  properly  made  ami 
liandled,  these  boats  are  said  to  leak  very  rarely.  In  getting  into  the  bo'xt 
you  must  be  careful  not  to  step  on  the  bottom,  or  you  might  put  your  ft>ot 
through  the  skins,  which  are  often  kept  in  use  until  quite  tender. 

"They  have  a  short  mast,  carrying  a  square  sail  which  is  also  made 
from  deer-skins,  unless  the  owner  is  lucky  enough  to  get  a  piece  of  old 
canvas  from  a  whaling  ship.  On  each  side  of  the  hydara  they  generally 
carry  a  seal-skin  blown  up  like  a  bladder  and  securely  fastened  to  the 
boat  at  each  end ;  these  seal-skins  serve  to  buoy  the  craft  in  case  she  heels 
over  from  the  effect  of  the  wind  or  the  waves,  or  is  tipped  by  the  clumsy 
movement  of  an  occupant. 

"They  carry  heavy  burdens  in  these  boats,  and  venture  fearlessly  out 
into  the  open  sea.  Occasionally  they  cross  to  the  North  American  con- 
tinent for  the  pui'pose  of  trading  with  the  Eskimos,  but  their  favorite 
plan  is  to  meet  the  Eskimos  on  Diomede  Island,  about  midway  between 
the  continents,  so  that  neither  is  within  the  territory  of  the  other." 

Lvinij  on  the  bank  not  far  from  the  boat  was  an  inflated  seal-skin,  at- 
tached  to  a  line  ten  or  twelve  feet  long;  the  other  end  of  the  line  was 
tied  to  a  harpoon,  and  the  youths  naturally  wondered  what  was  the  use 
of  the  apparatus. 

"  That  is  what  they  use  for  catching  walrus  and  whales,"  said  the 
Doctor.     "  The  way  they  do  it  is  this : 

"They  iill  the  boat  with  as  many  men  as  it  will  hold,  and  in  addition 
to  their  paddles  they  carry  long  slips  of  whalebone,  which  are  flat  at  the  end 
like  a  piece  of  board.     They  paddle  to  the  spot  whei-e  a  walrus  has  been 


h 


WALRUS-Hl :  TINCl. 


87 


soeti  to  dive,  and  then  half  tlie  iiicii  ixtimd  on  tlio  water  with  tho  whalo- 
l)()iR's  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  a  |)eiMihar  craekiiijif  sound.  This  rouses 
rlie  curiosity  of  the  wah-us,  and  lie  conies  up  to  see  what  it  all  means. 
If  they  are  near  enough  to  throw  the  harpoon  it  is  darted  hy  the  man  in 
tlie  how;  another  in  the  middle  of  the  boat  i>oiseft  the  seal-skin  and 
throws  it  sinndtaueously  with  the  harpoon.  If  they  are  lucky  enough  to 
hit  the  walrus  he  draj^s  the  seal-skin  after  him  as  he  dives;  it  pulls  steadi- 
ly on  the  har[)oon,  and  after  a  while  hrinij^s  him  to  the  surface,  where  ho 
i,'ets  another  hai'poon,  and  then  another  and  another. 


A  CHL'CKCHKE  BOAT. 


"The  old  adage  that  'it  is  the  first  step  wliich  costs,' is  well  illus- 
trated by  the  C.uickchee  mode  of  catching  the  walrus.  A  great  many 
efforts  are  made  to  get  i\\Q  first  harpoon  into  him,  and  sometimes  a  whole 
day  will  be  passed  in  continuous  failures.  But  when  a  har[)oon  is  prop- 
erly fastened  into  one  of  these  animals  ho  can  bo  easily  traced  by  the 
floating  seal-skin,  and  the  rest  of  the  job  is  comparatively  easy." 

"And  did  you  say  they  catch  whales  in  the  same  way'^"  one  of  the 
youths  asked. 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  reply, "  but  they  need  a  great  many  floats  to  hold 
Iiiui  up,  so  that  he  cannot  dive.  It  is  only  when  a  whale  or  a  walrus  is 
prevented  from  diving  by  the  number  of  floats  attached  to  him,  that  they 
can  lance  and  kill  him.  Half  a  dozen  will  sufiice  for  an  ordinary  walrus, 
and  a  dozen  for  a  large  one,  but  in  the  case  of  a  whale  a  great  many  are 
needed.  lie  has  to  be  stuck  full  of  harpoons,  and  the  seal-skins  and  blad- 
ders almost  hide  his  body  from  sight.     The  capture  of  a  whale  is  a  matter 


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23  WfST  MAIN  STREET 

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THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


of  great  importance  to  this  people,  as  you  will  realize  when  you  know 
something  of  their  habits  and  mode  of  life." 

While  our  friends  were  examining  the  boat,  and  talkitig  about  it,  they 
were  surrounded  by  a  group  of  natives,  who  looked  at  theuj  with  a  good 
deal  of  on'iosity,  but  without  any  rudeness  of  manner.  They  wore  a  dress 
of  deer-skins  from  which  the  hair  had  been  8trii)ped.  Dr.  Toniier  ex- 
plained to  the  youths  that  this  was  the  summer  costume,  the  clothing  for 
winter  being  much  heavier  and  lined  with  fur.  The  costume  was  a  sim- 
ple one,  as  it  consisted  of  a  tunic,  like  a  shirt,  which  came  nearly  to  the 
knee,  while  the  lower  limbs  were  encased  in  garments  which  fitted  rather 
more  closely  than  the  trousers  of  civilization. 

Fred  noticed  that  all  the  strangers  had  the  crown  of  the  head  shaven 
smooth,  and  asked  the  Doctor  if  they  were  members  of  a  priestly  order. 
Dr.  Tonner  replied  that  it  is  the  custom  of  this  people,  and  also  of  some 
other  tribes  in  Siberia,  to  sliave  the  head,  and  they  are  very  careful  in  its 
observance.  Why  they  did  so  he  could  not  say,  except  that  it  was  the 
fashion.  Fashion  rules  as  imperiously  among  savages  all  over  the  world 
as  in  the  extreme  of  civilization,  and  whatever  she  con)mands  is  obeyed. 
A  Chuckchee  would  no  more  think  of  rebelling  against  the  shaving  prac- 
tices of  his  tribe  than  would  a  society  man  of  New  York  venture  to  disre- 
gard the  rules  of  etiquette  prevailing  in  that  city. 

"They  have  strange  customs  relative  to  the  disposal  of  their  old  and 
infirm  people,"  said  the  Doctor.  "According  to  the  statements  of  several 
who  have  been  aioong  them,  they  have  a  practice  of  killing  the  aged 
members  of  their  tribe,  and  the  curious  thing  about  it  is,  that  the  victims 
are  always  entirely  reconciled  to  being  thus  put  away,  and  the  sacrifice 
is  generally  at  their  request.  There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  such  is  the 
case ;  one  gentleman  (Mr.  Richard  J.  Bush),  who  has  written  a  book  about 
this  country,  visited,  a  spot  where  one  of  these  executions  was  about  to 
take  place." 

"  Did  he  stay  to  witness  it  ?"  George  inquired. 

"  Not  by  any  means,"  replied  the  Doctor  — "  partly  because  he  was 
greatly  disinclined  to  do  so,  and  partly  because  the  natives  did  not  seem 
willing  to  go  on  with  the  ceremony  in  the  presence  of  a  stranger.  When 
you  go  back  to  the  ship  you  had  better  read  what  Mr.  Bush  tells  on  the 
subject." 

George  promised  to  do  so,  and  faithfully  kept  his  promise  Here  is 
what  he  read,  on  page  439  of  "  Reindeer,  Dogs,  and  Snowshoes :" 

"  During  one  of  our  visits  to  the  lower  end  of  the  bay  we  saw  quite  a  large  group  of  natives 
assembled  at  a  spot  on  the  rugged  mountain-side,  about  half  a  mile  back  of  the  village,  and  being 


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ciiiioua  to  know  wliiit  tliuy  were  about,  a  hont  was  lowered  and  a  party  of  us  started  for  sliore. 
We  had  to  make  nn  ascent  of  a  few  hundred  feet  over  the  loose,  jaj?t;ed  fnignients  of  rock,  and  it 
was  not  without  some  dittiuulty  that  we  reached  the  place.  On  all  sides,  scattered  over  the  rocks, 
were  crusiied  human  skulls  and  other  hones,  and  we  at  once  decided  that  this  was  the  &pot  where 
they  killed  the  old  and  disabled  of  their  tribe.  Our  first  impression  was  that  we  wore  to  witness 
one  of  these  acts  of  barbarity,  and  I  confess  to  a  feeling  of  reluctiinc;  and  sick-heartedness  as  we 
upproaelied  the  group;  but  their  lively  chattering  and  occasional  laughter  disarmed  otu- suspicions. 

"There  were  about  forty  persons  present,  from  old  men  and  women  down  to  mere  babes,  all 
of  whom  appeared  to  be  in  the  best  of  s|)irits.  We  thought  they  were  about  to  make  an  offering 
to  their  gods,  and  calling  aside  Naukum,  one  of  the  natives  who  had  learned  to  speak  a  little 
English  from  intercoursQ  with  whalers  and  traders,  wc  began  to  (juestion  him  about  it.  Pointing 
to  one  in  the  group,  he  replied,  'See  old  man — no  got  eyes — bimeby  kill  um.'  Looking  where 
he  pointed,  we  beheld  an  old  blind  man  seated  upon  a  rock  among  the  other  natives,  but  his  face 
wore  an  expression  of  such  perfect  calmness  and  unconcern  that  I  looked  elsewhere  to  find  the 
victim,  thinking  I  was  mistaken  in  the  person  pointed  to.  No  one  was  showing  him  any  kind  of 
attention,  neither  was  there  anything  in  his  appearance,  nor  in  the  actions  of  his  companions,  to 
lead  to  the  sus[>icion  that  he  was  so  soon  to  be  ushered  into  the  next  world.  .  .  . 

"  We  had  some  difficulty  in  making  out  Naukum's  explanation  of  the  matter,  but  at  length 
comprehended  that  it  was  by  the  old  man's  request  they  were  going  to  kill  him.  He  had  plenty 
of  deer,  and  was  beyond  want,  but  the  previous  year  he  had  lost  his  only  son,  whom  he  loved  very 
much,  since  which  time  life  had  become  a  burden  to  liim,  and  he  wanted  his  tribe  to  put  him  out 
of  existence.  The  day  had  been  once  before  fixed,  but  his  little  grandson  begged  so  piteously  that 
the  old  man  consented  to  live  for  his  grandson's  sake.  But  he  had  again  changed  his  mind,  and 
his  wishes  were  now  about  to  be  gratified." 

The  natives  were  unwilling  to  proceed  with  the  sacrifice  until  the  white 
men  had  gone;  the  latter  had  no  desire  to  retnain,  and  consequently  re- 
turned to  their  boat.  Naukum  afterwards  said  the  old  man  again  post- 
poned his  execiition  out  of  deference  to  the  wishes  of  his  grandson,  but 
Mr.  Bush  thought  the  tribe  wished  to  defer  it  till  after  the  ships  had  left 
the  bav. 

From  where  they  landed  our  friends  walked  back  a  hr.ndred  yards  or 
80  to  the  crest  of  a  ridge,  where  the  natives  had  their  summer  residence. 
The  group  that  had  surrounded  them  walked  with  them  and  kept  up  a 
continual  chattering  and  laughter,  not  at  all  in  accordance  with  the  solem- 
nity of  many  savage  tribes.  Dr.  Tonner  explained  to  the  youths  that  the 
Chuckchees  are  generally  friendly  with  the  whites,  but  sometimes  they 
have  trouble  with  wna^ers  and  other  traders,  growing  out  of  disputes  in 
commercial  transactions.  As  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  the  fault  is  quite 
as  much  that  of  the  white  men  as  of  the  natives,  and  generally  a  good  de^l 
more  so.  . 

The  natives  have  been  demoralized  by  the  whalers,  who  sell  them 
ardent  spirits  in  exchange  for  furs,  whalebone,  walrus -ivory,  and  other 
commodities.  The  use  of  fire-water  leads  to  trouble,  and  it  is  a  great  pity 
that  it  cannot  be  suppressed  altogether.     Apropos  of  this  subject,  a  good 


A  WONDERFUL  DRINK. 


91 


SCESERV  NEAR  EAST  CAPE. 


Ptory  is  told  by  the  officers  of  the  expedition  that  was  in  Xorth-eastern 
Siberia  in  1865-G6,  endeavoring  to  build  a  telegraph  line  from  Europe  to 
America  by  way  of  Asia. 

One  party  was  landed  near  Behring  Strait,  and  another  at  Ghijiga, 
near  the  head  of  the  bay  of  that  name,  and  on  the  northern  shore  of  the 
Okhotsk  Sea.  During  the  winter  the  natives  brought  a  report  to  Ghijiga 
that  there  was  a  party  of  white  men  near  Behring  Sea  who  burned  black 
stones  in  a  box,  and  had  the  most  wonderful  whiskey  ever  known. 

The  party  at  Ghijiga  joined  the  other  towards  the  end  of  winter,  and 
through  all  the  journey  across  North-eastern  Siberia  the  principal  news 
that  came  to  them  was  the  astonishment  of  the  natives  at  the  wonderful 
whiskey  in  the  possession  of  the  white  men.  Nothing  of  the  kind  had  ever 
been  seen  before ;  the  liquid  which  the  whalers  sold  was  of  no  consequence 
whatever  in  comparison  with  the  new  sort. 

The  sequel  was  interesting.  It  turned  out  that  when  the  party  landed 
tlie  natives  began  at  once  to  beg  for  whiskey.  Their  demand  was  refused, 
and  they  were  told  the  white  men  had  not  brought  any  of  the  vile  stuff. 
To  refute  this  assertion  the  natives  pointed  to  several  barrels  that  had  been 
I'iled  in  the  camp,  and  were  known  to  be  full  of  liquid  of  some  kind  or 
other.    To  put  an  end  to  their  demands,  some  of  it  was  given  to  them. 


f 
! 

m.. 


- 


i 

CO 


I  i 


f 


i- 


fi' 


|;.. 


!-" ;:  i 


!' 


92 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


Tlie  natives  dmnk  and  were  delighted ;  they  had  heard  of  tlie  whito 
man's  l)cvenige  called  fire-water,  hut  never  heforo  had  they  found  the 
genuine  articjle.  Certainly  this  was  the  lire- water  they  had  heard  of; 
there  could  be  no  doubt  of  its  character,  as  it  burned  and  blistered  their 
throats,  and  a  little  of  it  went  a  great  way.  This  whiskey,  that  became  so 
famous  tlu'ough  the  land,  was  nothing  more  than  very  strong  pepper-sauce, 
which  was  intended  for  the  preservation  of  meat. 

Dr.  Tonner  told  the  youths  there  was  a  curious  custom  among  the 
Chuckchees  which  was  not  likely  to  be  adopted  in  America  or  England — 
certaiidy  not  in  a  hurry.  lie  had  been  told  that  when  a  Chuckchee  trader, 
on  a  voyage  to  or  from  the  Diomedc  Islands,  or  elsewhere,  was  caught  in  a 
storm  and  found  it  necessary  to  lighten  his  boat,  he  proceeded  to  throw 
overboard  the  crew  instead  of  the  cargo.  Goods  are  valuable,  and  camiot 
be  dropped  into  the  sea  without  loss,  but  men  are  abundant,  and  a  fresh 
crew  can  be  enj^aged  at  any  time.  The  Doctor  further  stated  that  his 
informant  said  the  men  made  no  objection  to  this  novel  process  of  salvage, 
but  went  over  the  side  of  the  boat  when  ordered,  under  the  full  conviction 
that  they  were  simply  discharging  their  duty  to  their  employer.* 

At  the  edije  of  the  village  several  men  were  at  work  on  the  erection  of 
a  house,  and  of  coui-se  George  and  Fred  stopped  to  have  a  look  at  thci. 
Though  the  men  were  interesting,  the  house  was  a  great  deal  more  so,  as 
it  was  of  a  material  entirely  new  to  the  yoimg  travellers. 

"You  remember  I  told  von  how  valuable  the  whale  is  to  the  Chuck- 
chees,"  said  the  Doctor.     "This  house  illustrates  what  I  was  saying." 

The  frame  of  the  house  was  made  of  ribs  of  the  whale  and  walrus,  and 
a  good  deal  of  ingenuity  was  shown  in  arranging  it.  Two  or  three  poles 
of  wood  that  had  been  brought  from  Kamchatka,  or  some  region  far  to 
the  south,  served  to  support  the  ends  of  the  ribs  and  other  bones  that 
formed  the  sides,  while  the  covering  of  the  roof  was  kept  in  place  by  long 
strips  of  whalebone.  One  by  one  the  bones  were  put  in  their  places,  and 
then  the  covering  was  stretched  over  it.  The  latter  was  like  a  piece  of 
patdiwork  on  an  American  quilt;  it  was  composed  principally  of  deer- 
skins, but  there  were  a  good  many  sections  of  walrus  hide  among  them, 
and  one  or  two  strips  of  sail  which  had  been  begged  or  otherwise  obtained 
from  the  whalers  that  frequent  this  region.  This  covering  serves  its  ptu'- 
pose  admirably,  though  it  is  apt  to  let  in  water  in  case  of  a  long  rain  ;  it  is 
fastened  carefully,  to  prevent  its  disappearing  in  the poorgas,  or  high  winds, 
that  prevail  in  these  northern  latitudes. 

*  This  story  was  told  in  all  seriousness  to  the  writer  of  this  volume  bj'  Governor  Bilzukavitcli, 
at  Ghijiga,  in  18(36,  and  was  confirmed  by  another  Russian  official  present  at  the  interview. 


VALUE  OF  THE  REIXDKEU. 


98 


Dr.  Toniiei*  said  the  ('liiu;kcliue  house  wus  Jiot  a  eoinfortahle  oiio  for 
;i  Kiiropean,  but  it  met  fully  all  the  desires  of  the  natives.  On  the  score 
of  ventihition  there  was  niueh  to  be  desired,  as  there  was  no  ehinmey,  and 
the  best  exit  for  the  smoke  was  through  a  hole  in  the  roof.  Sometimes 
it  is  necessary  to  close  even  this  hole,  on  account  of  the  weather,  and  then 
the  smoke  has  a  hard  time  in  gettinj;  out.  The  natives  live,  without  ap- 
parent inconvenience,  in  an  utmuspheru  that  wuuld  stille  u  civili^ed  being 
in  half  an  hour. 


KRECTINO    A    CHfCKCHKK   SUMMKnilOCSE. 


A  short  distance  back  of  the  village  a  herd  of  reindeer  was  grazing, 
aad  after  a  glance  at  the  house  our  friends  went  in  their  direction.  Thev 
were  scattered  over  a  considerable  area,  under  the  watchftd  eyes  of  several 
natives  who  kept  them  from  stry.ying. 

Nearly  all  were  standing,  and  while  some  continued  to  pluck  the  moss 
and  other  vegetation  from  the  ground,  others  raised  their  heads  and  gave 
an  in(piiring  look  at  the  strangers.  One  old  deer,  with  a  magnificent  pair 
of  antlers,  was  lying  on  the  ground  in  the  front  of  the  group,  and  retained 
his  position  with  an  air  of  content  and  independence. 

"  The  reindeer  is  even  more  important  to  these  people  than  the  whale," 
said  the  Doctor, "  at  least  to  the  majority  of  them.  The  whale  can  only 
1)0  taken  in  summer,  but  the  reindeer  is  with  them  through  the  whole 
vear;  his  skin  supplies  the  material  for  clothing,  and  for  the  coverings 
of  the  tents,  his  flesh  is  an  important  article  of  food,  his  bones  form  the 
liaudles  of  knives  and  the  head«  of  lances,  his  sinews  are  an  excellent 


!ii 

c:: 
:»; 

CO 


h\\ 


94 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


WiJ 


8nl)stitiite  for  tlircfttl,  and  his  antlers  are  used  for  tlie  runnel's  and  frame- 
work  of  the  sledges. 

"Deer  are  the  circulating  jnediuin  of  the  counti'v,  and  values  are 
reckoned  in  them  ;  a  man  with  a  hundred  deer  is  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances, one  with  five  hundred  is  '  well  to  do,'  and  one  with  a  thousand 
looks  conij)la<;ently  on  the  future.  When  we  go  beyond  a  thousand  we 
are  among  the  iud)ol)8  or  millionaires,  though  the  latter  are  not  fairly 
reached  till  we  pass  ten  thousand.  The  wealthiest  luitive  of  North-west- 
ern Siberia  is  the  owner  of  forty  thousand  deer;  he  is  regarded  as  a 
Vanderbilt  or  an  Astor  by  his  neighbors,  and  takes  quite  as  much  pleas- 
ure in  life  as  do  the  heads  of  the  families  I  have  just  named." 

"What  an  enormous  herd  of  deer!"  said  one  of  the  youths.  "Forty 
thousand  together !     I  should  like  to  see  them." 

"  It  is  doubtful  if  you  ever  have  the  opportunity,"  replied  Dr.  Tonner. 
"and  I  hardly  believe  the  owner  has  ever  seen  them  together.  AVhere 
a  man  has  a  very  great  number  of  deer  he  divides  them  into  herds  of  a 
thousand  or  twelve  hundred  e.ach,  and  then  scatters  them  over  a  large 
area  of  country.  He  is  obliged  to  do  this  in  order  to  find  pasturage  for 
them ;  if  they  were  all  assembled  in  a  single  drove  it  would  be  very  diffi- 
cult to  support  them." 

George  asked  what  was  the  food  of  the  reindeer.  The  Doctor  replied 
that  the  animal  fed  in  summer  on  the  scanty  grass  and  shrubs  that  grow 
in  the  valleys  of  the  streams,  and  in  the  portions  of  the  tundras  or  plains 
that  are  least  exposed ;  in  winter  he  lives  altogether  on  moss,  which  he 
searches  for  beneath  the  snow,  and  displays  a  wonderful  instinct  in  finding 
it.  Nature  has  adapted  his  nose  to  timiing  the  snow  in  search  of  food, 
and  when  he  digs  for  moss  he  rarely  fails  to  get  it. 

George  wanted  to  mount  one  of  the  deer  and  take  a  ride.  The  Doc- 
tor explained  his  wishes  as  well  as  he  could  to  the  natives  in  charge  of 
the  herd,  and  one  of  them  ran  off  to  his  tent  and  brought  a  saddle,  and 
also  a  long  staff  like  a  stout  broom-handle. 

The  saddle  was  placed  across  the  back  of  one  of  the  animals,  just  be- 
hind his  shoulders;  it  was  a  pad  like  an  ordinary  racing  saddle,  but  very 
roughly  made  and  without  stirrups.  George  thought  the  man  had  for- 
gotten the  sti  lups,  and  motioned  for  him  to  go  back  for  them,  but  the 
Doctor  explained  that  they  were  not  used  in  riding  the  reindeer. 

Both  the  youths  shook  their  headf.  at  the  prospect  of  being  mounted 
in  this  fashion.  While  they  hesitated,  the  native  took  the  staff  in  one 
hand  to  support  himself  and  then  swung  into  the  saddle;  the  instant  he 
was  seated  the  animal  started  off  for  a  graceful  circuit  of  a  hundred  vards 


THE  CUKHENCY  OF  THE  CUrCKCHEES. 


95 


W^,'!7   n^,TTr^-FT""'ffTi 


rge  of 


h   * 


! 


' 


f 


■ 

[^ 

^ 

. 

. 

f^ 

-  ---: 

:- 

■.      : 

■:■■ 

u 

h 

-r- 

LS  f 

B-i 

ll 

.-:     :.- 

liir^l 

M 

i 

f 
V    fi 


U6 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


I|::;| 

|Im  ;;'  '■■ .[  i 

Jill 

I:.'.  :|; 


or  60,  and  then  cnine  hack  to  the  8tartln<;-iM)lnt.  Tho  nativo  dismounted, 
and  (irooi'f^e  endeavored  to  imitate  liis  m(>vemonts. 

IIo  Htipported  liimti(>lf  with  the  8tufF,  n8  iic  had  seen  tho  native  (h),  and 
then  vaidted  into  tlie  saddle;  the  renidt  was  that  ho  went  over,  and  fell 
on  tlio  other  «ide,  triore  to  P'led's  amusement  than  his  own.  He  repeated 
tho  effort  with  tio  better  siiccesi*,  and  as  Fred  continued  to  hiugh  at  his 
misfortunes,  Gooriije  resigned  in  the  latter's  favor. 

Fred  did  exactly  what  George  had  done,  and  then  the  laugh  was  the 
other  way.  Then  the  luitive  assisted  him  for  a  few  nu)ment8,  and  as  soon 
as  tho  youth  could  find  his  balance  he  got  along  very  well.  J)r,  Toimer 
explained  that  nearly  every  novice  in  mounting  a  deer  goes  over  to  the 
other  side,  and  for  the  fii'st  day  or  so  he  spends  most  of  his  time  in  falling 
off.  The  back  of  the  deer  is  very  weak,  and  consequently  the  weight  t)t 
rider  or  other  burden  must  be  jdnced  over  the  shoulders;  a  weight  of 
fifty  pounds,  placed  as  a  horse  is  loaded,  would  permanently  disable  a 
strong  reindeer. 

The  shoidders  of  the  deer  slide  against  each  other  as  the  animal  walks, 
and  this  makes  the  pad  sway  from  ojie  side  to  the  other  at  every  step. 
As  the  rider  has  no  stirrups  he  must  keep  his  balance  or  run  the  risk  of 
falling  off,  and  to  prevent  this  he  uses  the  polka  or  staff.  Many  persons 
on  beginning  their  experience  with  reindeer  use  two  of  these  polJcuft,  one 
on  each  side,  but  even  with  this  protection  they  get  a  good  many  falls. 
The  polka  has  a  bag  or  net  of  deer  thongs  at  the  lower  end  to  keep  it 
from  sinking  too  deep  in  the  snow ;  the  foot  of  the  deer  spreads  out  as  he 
steps  on  snow  or  on  mai*shy  soil,  and  is  evidently  admirably  adapted  to 
its  purpose.  A  horse  would  not  be  able  to  walk  at  all  where  a  reindeer 
can  proceed  with  ease. 

A  very  little  riding  of  the  sort  we  have  desci-ibed  was  enough  for  our 
young  friends,  and  the  inspection  of  the  herd  of  deer  did  not  require  a 
long  time.  On  the  way  back  to  the  landing-place  the  Doctor  described 
the  sledges  used  in  winter  in  North-eastern  Siberia.  He  said  thev  were 
similar  to  the  dog-sledges,  there  being  some  for  light  travel,  and  others 
for  transporting  freight.  The  deer  were  harnessed  with  straps  or  belts 
around  their  necks,  and  to  these  straps  leather  thongs  were  attached  that 
extended  back  to  the  sledge.  The  animals  were  generally  driven  in  pairs, 
and  as  each  had  a  separate  harness,  the  one  that  went  slowest  was  in 
danger  of  having  the  sledge  dragged  on  his  heels. 

The  reins  are  fastened  to  the  horns  of  the  beasts,  and  the  whip  con- 
sists of  a  long  stick  or  rod  with  which  the  animals  can  be  enlivened  when 
they  grow  weary.     The  sledge  is  made  so  that  its  body  is  at  least  a  foot 


8PKKI)  OF  TIIK   KKINDKER. 


D7 


:i1k)vo  tho  Hiiow,  ftixl  tlio  j^rciitcht  nuv,  h  tiikt'ii  to  Imve  tlio  niiiners  slide 
lis  eftsil}'  as  posxihlo.  Tlicv  nio  iisiuilly  iimdo  of  tlu!  antlcrrt  of  duur,  or  of 
hones  of  tho  whale,  and  polished  so  that  they  shine  like  ivory.  Where 
strips  of  ash  timber  ean  he  obtained  they  are  preferred,  (»n  ueeonnt  of 
their  elasticity  whieh  renders  thcni  less  liable  to  be  broken  than  hone. 

O'dinarily  the  paee  (»f  tho  reindeer  is  n<»t  rapid,  but  the  animals  for 
tlic  travelling  sledi^es  aro  trained  to  movo  with  u  speed  whieh  justifies  tho 
reputation  they  have  received  in  story-books.  Instaiutes  aro  on  record  of 
reindeer  havin<^  {j;ono  at  tho  rate  of  nineteen  miles  an  hour  for  three  or 
litnr  hours,  and  a  single  pair  has  been  driven  ono  huiulred  aiul  fifty  miles 
in  twenty  hours.  On  such  occasions  thoy  take  a  steady  trot  at  starting, 
mid  if  the  roads  aro  good  thoy  rarely  break  from  it  until  they  have  gono 
:i  dozen  or  twenty  miles.  In  mnny  parts  of  Siberia  they  are  preferred  to 
(jitgs,  as  they  find  their  own  food;  but  on  the  other  hand  tho  traveller 
MMist  follow  a  route  where  food  is  known  to  exist,  or  his  team  will  break 
lown.  When  reindeer  aro  wearied  thoy  stop,  and  refuse  to  move  until 
rested;  if  urged  to  go  on  they  lio  down,  and  no  whipping  in  tho  power  of 
Mian  to  administer  can  induce  them  to  rise  and  proceed. 


11" 

I 

U 

I-* 


»h:' 


I  4 


%: 


A    KEINDKEK  8I.KD. 

7 


I 


98 


THE   VOYAOE  OF  TIIE  "VIVIAN." 


■:rr 


m 


ii  iiii 


CHAPTER  VII. 

CnUCKCIIEES   AND  KORAKS.— INTKKXATIOXAL  FESTIVITIES. 

(COMMANDER  IHIONSOX  foiiiul  tho  cnptaiii  of  the  Gamhetta  readv 
■^  to  receive  him,  uiid  talk  over  tlie  plat)8  of  their  expeditions.  B(jth 
had  the  same  purpose — to  get  as  near  as  possible  to  the  pole. 

All  the  latest  maps  of  the  polar  regions  were  spread  on  the  table  in  the 
cabin,  and  tho  two  explorers  sat  for  some  time  in  consultation  over  thcin. 
Coinnumder  JJronson  pointed  to  the  discoveries  of  Wrangell  and  Anjou  in 
tho  eai'ly  part  of  the  century,  and  to  those  of  De  Long  and  others  in  recent 
times. 

"  Wrangell  was  stopped  at  latitude  72°  2'  north,"  said  he, "  not  by  ice. 
but  by  open  water.  He  had  travelled  to  that  point  on  sledges,  and  had  no 
boats  with  which  he  could  proceed.  Since  his  time  the  land  which  hi- 
endeavored  to  reach  has  been  visited,  a!id  found  to  be  a  large  island,  to 
which  his  name  has  been  given.  The  natives  of  the  Siberian  coast  had 
been  there  before  him,  but  of  course  their  stories  concerning  it  could  not 
be  relied  upon." 

"  It  was  almost  directly  north  of  Wrangell  Island,"  said  Captain  Girard. 
of  the  Gamhetta, "  tliat  Do  Long  was  beset  in  the  ice  on  tho  4th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1879.  From  that  point  Jio  drifted,  helplessly,  till  his  ship  was 
crushed  and  sunk  nearly  two  years  later.  He  went  five  degrees  nearer  to 
the  polo  than  Wrangell  had  been  able  to  get,  and  found  solid  ice  where 
the  Russian  discovered  open  water." 

"  The  drift  of  the  Jeannette^''  replied  Commander  Bronson, "  shows 
that  the  current,  at  that  time  at  least,  was  setting  northward  and  westward. 
Now  it  is  my  intention  to  seek  a  more  easterly  direction,  by  keeping  nearer 
to  the  American  coast.  From  this  point  where  we  are  now  anchored  I 
shall  Keep  as  close  as  I  can  to  the  170th  meridian  of  longitude  until  I  have 
crossed  the  70th  parallel.  We  may  then  expect  to  encotmter  the  ice,  but 
we  shall  hope  for  the  best,  and  keep  a  sharp  watch  for  lanes  of  open  water 
to  carry  us  towards  the  pole."  .  ' 

Captain  Girard  said  the  route  was  so  near  what  he  had  planned  for  \\'\> 


AN   EXCMANCiK   OF  I'OLlThWKSH. 


UU 


own,  that  ho  would  ho  iileiised  to  havo  tho  Bhi|«  proccod  hi  company. 
Tlicy  could  douhtlcss  he  of  nuitiial  asHisfaiico  in  tho  ice,  and  if  an  accident 
m-cuiTcd  to  one  of  thcni  hho  conhl  l»c  aiihnl  hy  tho  other,  and  iKMhaps  her 
crew  reh'ovod  from  danger.  "Of  conrso,"  ho  added,  "  wo  nntU-iKtand  that 
each  of  us  is  at  liherty  to  make  tho  host  t)f  his  way  where  tho  <'ondition  «»f 
the  Hcas  will  i»ermit.  All  new  discoverieft  whall  holoni;  to  tho  one  who 
makes  them.  If  wo  find  an  island  not  laid  down  on  the  charts,  it  shall  he 
named  hy  tho  man  that  first  sets  fool  ujxmi  it ;  and  if  neither  ship  is  ahlo  to 
send  an}hody  to  it,  the  discovery  shall  helong  to  the  tirst  who  saw  tho 
laud  and  announced  it  hy  8i<;nal  to  the  other," 


i    I 


BARON   VON    WRANOKLL. 


Commander  Bronson  agreed  to  this  proposal,  and  said  ho  should  :ry  to 
put  the  flag  of  his  country  in  advance  of  tho  hanner  of  the  French.  Cap- 
tain Girard  smilingly  replied  that  the  tri-color  would  he  first  at  the  pole, 
and  with  these  good-natiired  expressions  of  patriotism  the  interview  came 
to  an  end.  Commander  Bronson  invited  Captain  Girard  to  dinner  on 
hoard  the  Vivian;  the  invitation  was  promptly  accepted,  and  the  com- 
mander hastened  hack  to  his  ship  to  give  the  necessary  ordei-s,  and  to  re- 
call the  Doctor  and  our  young  friends  from  their  trip  on  shore. 

McMASTER  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


ili 

-Ci 

\i 

-< 


^0 


1   i 


m 


100 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


1  ■■ 


Soon  after  the  signal  was  hoisted  the  boat  came  dancing  over  the 
waves,  and  the  Doctor  and  his  companions  went  to  their  cabins  to  dress  for 
dinner.  The  cook  was  instructed  to  do  his  best,  as  the  occasion  was  a  mo- 
mentous one :  none  of  the  party  liad  ever  entertained  guests  at  diimer  in 
the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  as  they  could  not  determine  what  tlie  etiquette  of 
the  country  was,  they  agreed  to  stick  to  that  of  the  civilized  world. 

The  French  captain  came  at  the  appointed  time,  wearing  the  full  uni- 
form of  his  rank,  lie  was  accompanied  by  the  surgeon  of  his  ship,  who 
had  also  been  invited  to  the  festivity ;  very  cordial  was  tlie  greeting  be- 
tween the  latter  and  Dr.  Tonner,  as  they  had  discovered  in  Kamchatka 
that  they  were  students  together  in  Paris,  and  had  met  freqnently  while 
promenading  the  hospitals.  The  French  surgeon  spoke  very  little  English, 
while  the  American  doctor  was  decidedlj'  rusty  in  the  language  of  Paris; 
there  was  a  good  deal  of  blundering  in  their  conversation,  and  occasion- 
ally each  managed  to  misunderstand  completely  what  the  other  said. 
However,  they  managed  to  get  along,  and  the  meeting  was  a  real  pleasure 
to  both.  Their  comparison  of  notes  was  interesting,  as  they  found  they 
had  been  doing  the  same  things  in  different  parts  of  the  world.  While 
Dr.  Tomier  was  in  the  service  of  the  American  Armv  in  Arizona  and  New 
Mexico  his  fellow-student  had  been  in  similar  employment  in  Algeria;  in 
the  same  year  that  the  former  had  started  in  private  practice  in  San  Fran- 
cisco the  latter  had  set  up  for  himself  in  Marseilles,  and  almost  in  the 
same  week  that  the  American  went  fiom  San  Fiancisco  to  reside  in  New 
York  the  Frenchman  emigrated  from  Marseilles  to  Paris. 

"Z<?5  extremes  se  touchent^''  i-emarked  the  siu'geon  of  the  Gamhetta 
when  their  comparison  of  notes  was  ended. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  reply,  "  extremes  meet,  and  perhaps  we  shall  continue 
on  the  same  .Ines  for  the  future.  We  may  follow  different  roads  and  both 
reach  the  pole." 

The  eyes  of  the  Frenchman  sparkled  at  the  suggestion.  He  began  to 
say  something,  and  suddenly  checked  himself;  then  he  made  a  remark 
about  the  hazards  of  a  journey  in  the  arctic  regions,  and  closed  with  the 
suggestion  that  he  certainly  hoped  to  reach  the  North  pole. 

Then  he  wanted  to  make  a  wager  that  the  French  flag  would  be  the 
first  to  float  over  the  pole,  and  warming  with  excitement  he  next  proposed 
to  double  his  wager  and  make  it  on  behalf  of  his  own  ship. 

Dr.  Tonner  grew  interested,  and  asked  why  he  was  so  confident  of  suc- 
cess where  all  before  had  failed. 

^'JVhus  verrons,''^  was  the  reply ;  "  or,  as  you  says  in  Eengleesh,  *  we 
shall  see.'"  ...•,' 


OLD  AND  NEW  iMETHODS  COMPARED. 


101 


Tlieii  the  conversation  changed  to  other  topics,  and  was  interrupted  by 
the  announcement  that  dinner  was  ready.  In  a  few  minutes  entertainers 
and  guests  were  in  their  places,  and  the  party  did  ample  justice  to  the 
products  of  the  skill  of  the  cook.  The  guests  were  loud  in  their  praises  of 
the  number  and  quality  of  the  dishes,  and  paid  a  high  compliment  to  the 
skill  of  the  Americans  in  preserving  fresh  meat  and  vegetables. 

"You  have  carried  the  science  of  'canning'  to  a  higher  degree  than 
any  other  country,"  said  Captain  Girard,  "  and  have  nuide  long  voyages 
comparatively  easy,  so  far  as  the  health  of  the  men  is  concerned." 


LOCKKD   IN   THK    ICK. 


"  But  we  have  taken  lessons  from  your  nation  in  the  science  of  cook- 
ery," was  the  polite  response  of  the  American  commander ;  "  and  without 
good  cooking  our  efforts  in  the  preserving  line  would  be  of  comparatively 
little  use.     The  first  must  be  jierfect,  or  the  second  will  fail." 

"For  a  comparison  between  the  new  way  and  the  old,"  replied  Captain 
Girard,  "  let  us  take  the  voyage  of  the  Jeannette  and  place  it  by  the  siue 
of  almost  any  long  voyage  of  half  a  century  ago.  In  old  times  nearly 
every  crew  imprisoned  for  a  single  winter  in  the  ice  was  disabled  by 
scurvy ;  the  Jeannette  passed  two  winters  among  the  bei-gs  and  floes,  and 
after  the  sinking  of  the  ship  her  crew  was  three  months  on  the  ice  before 
leaching  Siberia,  but  they  wei-e  in  good  condition  w'hen  the  vessel  sank, 
and  even  when  they  landed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Lena.  The}'  were  weak- 
ened by  hardship  and  exposure,  it  is  true,  but  they  suffered  almost  nothing 
iroui  the  diseases  formerly  inseparable  from  an  arctic  voyage." 

Commander  Bronson  then  told  about  the  arrangements  for  the  distri- 
bution of  lime-juice  to  his  men  when  unable  to  procure  fresh  provisions. 


% 

■A 


i: 


•"! . 


102 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


Uhl 


;■'       * 


iSI   ;  Si: 


and  gave  other  details  of  their  preparation  for  the  voyage.  His  guest  re- 
phed  by  detaihiig  whatever  was  new  in  the  mode  of  outfitting  tiie  Ga7n- 
betta,  and  by  the  end  of  dinner  a  good  deal  of  information  had  been 
exchanged. 

The  p;  '^y  sat  for  some  time  after  the  dinner  had  been  completed,  and 
finally  the  hour  came  for  the  guests  to  return  to  their  ship.  Tlie  crew  ol 
Captain  Girard's  boat  had  been  entertained  by  the  sailors  of  the  Vivian, 
and  a  spectator  of  the  affair  would  have  had  an  amusing  story  to  tell. 
One  man  of  the  Vivian's  crew  could  speak  a  little  French,  but  only  a 
little,  while  not  a  man  from  the  Gamhettiis  boat  knew  a  word  of  Euirlish. 
Conversation  was  carried  on  in  pantomime  for  a  while,  but  this  could  not 
last  long;  then  the  boatswain  of  the  Vivian  suggested  a  song  and  dance, 
and  the  idea  was  immediately  carried  out. 

Among  the  Viviari's  men  there  were  three  musicians:  one  played  the 
violin,  the  second  the  flute,  and  the  third  had  a  high,  rank  on  the  accor- 
dion. A  quartette  had  been  formed  by  adding  a  drummer,  and  on  the 
voyage  up  from  San  Francisco  a  drum  was  manufactured  by  the  carpenter 
which  served  its  purpose  very  fairly.  The  violinist,  known  as  "  Fiddler 
Jack,"  had  been  chosen  leader  of  the  band,  and  a  good  deal  of  his  watch 
below  was  devoted  to  the  training  of  the  musicians  under  his  control. 
Their  knowledge  of  what  the  professors  call  techniqtie  was  very  limited, 
but  they  made  up  for  it  in  the  vigor  of  their  execution.  Nearly  all  the 
crew  could  sing  after  the  nautical  fashion,  and  altogether  the  Vivian  was 
well  equipped  for  a  season  of  arctic  opera. 

Jack  mustered  his  band,  and  several  American  airs  were  played,  ac- 
companied with  variations  which  are  not  found  in  the  scores  of  fashionable 
performers.  Then  the  crew  sang  "ITail  Columbia"  and  "The  Star-span- 
gled Banner,''  followed  by  "The  Old  Folks  at  Home"  and  "Nancy  Lee." 
All  these  songs  were  assisted  by  the  band,  the  drum  included.  Fiddler 
Jack  suggested  in  a  mild  way  that  the  di'um  had  no  business  in  "  The  Old 
Folks  at  Home,"  though  it  might  be  all  right  for  the  rest. 

One  of  the  French  sailors  then  hummed  "The  Marseillaise,"  in  the 
hope  that  Fiddler  Jack  could  plaj'  it,  but  the  latter  shook  his  head  and 
said  he  was  not  up  to  foreign  music  anyhow.  The  drummer  thought  he 
might  be  able  to  beat  the  time  on  his  drum,  but  the  Frenchmen  concluded 
that  no  instrumentation  was  needed,  and  sang  "The  Marseillaise"  without 
assistance. 

One  of  them  gave  the  solo,  and  the  rest  joined  in  the  chorus  with  a  zest 
that  showed  they  were  no  strangers  to  the  song.  The  boatswain  of  the 
Vivian  said  it  was  lucky  there  was  no  more  of  the  frog -eaters,  or  they 


AN   INTERNATIONAL  FESTIVITY. 


108 


would  raise  the  ship's  deck  :  id  start  all  the  timbers  down  to  the  water- 
line.  Tliis  song  was  followed  by  a  love  ditty  or  two,  and  then  by  a  nau- 
tical air  corresponding  to  "Tom  Bowline"  or  "Nancy  Dawson."  Then 
came  a  dance,  in  which  tlie  Yanlcees  gave  their  French  visitora  a  sample 
of  the  "double  shuffle"  and  other  dances  peculiar  to  America,  to  which 
the  latter  responded  by  an  "All  Hands  Round"  and  some  lofty  kicking 
wiiich  tln'eatened  the  safety  of  the  deck  more  than  did  the  singing. 

When  this  was  over  Jack  tuned  his  violin  and  sounded  some  of  the 
notes  of  "  Pinafore."  This  brought  one  of  the  Frenchmen  to  his  feet  and 
led  to  a  discovery  !  .  '      , 

Though  the  crews  of  the  two  ships  had  no  language  in  common,  and 
their  national  airs  were  unlike,  they  had  a  mutual  acquaintance  through 
the  music  of  this  operetta,  which  had  gone  out  from  England  and  invaded 
both  France  and  America.  Its  nautical  cliaracter  had  caused  it  to  be 
received  with  favor  by  the  cailors  of  both  nations,  and  a  little  investigation 
showed  that  the  crews  of  the  Vivian  and  Gamhetta  were  equally  "  up"  in 
their  knowledge  of  it. 

Jack  and  his  attendant  performers  (the  drum  included)  essayed  the 
music  of  the  sailoi's'  chorus  in  "Pinafore,"  and  when  the  air  had  been 
l)layed  through  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned  he  announced,  "  Now 
we'll  sing."  % 

"  Chantons !  chantons !"  shouted  the  Frenchmen  in  unison,  and  the 
sailors  of  two  nationalities  joined  in  the  performance  with  such  energy 
of  action  and  volume  of  sound  that  the  boatswain  declared  you  couldn't 
tell  which  was  which. 

While  the  Americans  roared  out,  in  fnir  time  with  the  instruments, 

•Tor  he's  the  captain  of  the  Fjw-i-an, 
And  a  right  good  captain  too," 

the  Frenchmen  were  equally  earnest  in  proclaiming, 

"  Car  il  est  capitavie  du  Gam-bet-ta, 
Et  tres  bon  capitaine  lui.^'' 

Just  as  they  had  finished  the  song,  and  were  wiping  the  perspiration 
from  their  foreheads,  there  was  a  call  from  the  deck  for  the  Gamhetta' s 
crew,  and  with  hand-shakes  and  embraces  between  those  who  had  had  a 
good  time  in  spite  cf  their  lingual  difficulties,  the  evening's  entertainment 
came  to  an  end.  In  a  few  minutes  the  visitors  had  gone,  and  the  Vivian 
resumed  her  wonted  quiet. 

The  next  day  most  of  the  officers  of  both  ships  were  on  shore,  and  the 
little  village  of  Chuckchees  had  quite  a  foreign  aspect.     Reindeer  meat 


■'I 


% 


■W 

I 


J" 


i  I 'i- 


ill 


104 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVUN." 


was  piirchaBed  in  considerable  quantities,  and  the  cr^ws  of  tlie  Vivian  and 
Gambetta  were  treated  to  Siberian  venison  with  great  liberality.  The 
Chuckchees  almost  uniformly  refuse  to  sell  live  deer,  on  account  of 
a  belief  that  they  will  bring  misfortune  X>n  themselves  by  so  doing,  but 
they  have  no  objection  to  slaughtering  the  animals  and  selling  the  meat. 


ffii: 


A    8UMMKK    VILI.AUG    IN    TllK    ARCTIC   REGIONS. 


The  purchases  were  paid  for  with  beads,  tobacco,  hatchets,  knives,  and 
kindred  things ;  rum  was  asked  for,  but  refused  in  every  instance,  and  the 
orders  of  both  the  French  and  American  commanders  were  strictly  obeyed, 
to  give  no  opportunity  for  trouble.  In  bartering  with  the  natives  the  cost 
of  a  deer  was  not  more  than  fifty  cents ;  and  as  the  animals  weighed  from 
eighty  to  a  hundred  pounds  when  dressed,  the  strangei*s  had  no  occasion 
to  complain,  while  the  natives  seemed  perfectly  satisfied.  George  remarked 
that  deer  at  that  price  could  not  be  considered  dear;  he  was  informed  that 
the  joke  had  been  made  by  every  Etiglish- speaking  visitor  to  that  region 
for  the  last  hundred  years.  _     .    ■ 

Commander  Bronson's  first  inquiry  was  for  a  village  where  he  could 
purchase  dogs  for  sledging  purposes ;  both  he  and  Captain  Girard  had  in- 


CHUCKCHEE  AND  KORAK  VILLAGES. 


100 


tended  to  buy  dogs  in  Petropavlovsk,  but  had  been  advised  not  to  take 
tliein  from  that  place,  as  they  could  be  procured  in  the  vicinity  of  Eaot 
(ape  or  Cape  Szerdze  Kainen.  The  Chuckchees  formerly  had  no  dogs, 
but  a  few  yeare  previous  to  the  date  of  which  we  are  speaking  they  made 
!i  friendly  arrangement  with  the  Koraks  by  which  the  latter  had  a  settle- 
ment in  the  Chuckchee  country  on  payment  of  u  tribute  to  the  ownere  of 
the  land.  The  Koraks  had  an  abundance  of  dogs,  while  the  Chuckchees 
possessed  thousands  of  reindeer:  there  was  a  Korak  village  close  to  a  Chuck- 
chee one,  and  at  these  villages  it  was  possible  to  purchase  dogs  for  arctic 
travel,  and  plenty  of  meat  on  which  to  feed  them. 

The  villages  were  about  ten  miles  from  where  the  ships  were  anchored, 
and  a  guide  was  easily  procured  to  lead  the  way  to  them.  Major  Clapp 
and  one  of  the  French  officers  set  out  at  once,  accompanied  by  Fred  and 
a  youth  of  about  his  age  from  the  Gamhetta.  They  were  mounted  on  rein- 
deer from  the  herd  our  friends  had  visited  the  day  before,  and  Fred  esti- 
mated that  they  made  not  less  than  half  a  dozen  tumbles  to  the  mile  for 
tlie  first  half  of  the  journey.  On  arriving  at  the  villages  they  began  nego- 
tiations for  dogs,  assisted  by  their  guide,  who  could  speak  enough  English 
to  make  himself  understood  in  conducting  a  bargain.' 

It  is  easier  to  begin  to  talk  business  with  these  peo])le  than  to  finish 
it.  There  was  a  vexatious  delay  in  bringing  them  to  terms,  and  the 
major  found  that  his  hope  of  return- 
ing to  the  ships  the  same  day  was  not 
to  be  realized.  They  were  invited  to 
partake  of  the  native  hospitality,  but 
the  interior  of  the  Korak  tents  was  so 
nninviting  that  they  retreated  outside 
in  a  very  short  time,  and  concluded 
to  sleep  in  the  open  air.  Through  the 
exertions  of  the  guide  a  temporary 
tent  was  erected,  and  beds  of  deer  and 
bear  skins  were  provided.  The  stran- 
gers shunned  the  stewpots  of  the  na- 
tives, and  supped  on  steaks  of  deer- 
meat  cooked  over  the  fire  by  themselves. 
Fortunately  the^^  had  a  good  supply  of  biscuits  and  tea  from  the  sliips. 

But  if  the  Korak  tent  in  sunnner  was  unendurable  by  the  strangers, 
what  would  they  have  thought  of  the  yourt,  or  winter  residence  of  these 
people?  Wiiile  Fred  was  relating  his  experience  on  his  return  to  the  ship. 
Dr.  Tonner  proceeded  to  enlighten  him  further  on  the  subject.  *'    . 


A   POBTRAIT. 


-5' 
5? 


'■ »!. 


\  ■ : 


\m 


fTl      |i 


11 


lOG 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


.'*, 


.  -1^': 


Imm- 


A    KORAK   BKAU. 


"  I  spent  a  winter  in  Siberia,  as  you  know,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  nnd  a 
part  of  my  experience  was  to  travel  among  the  Koraks.  It  used  to  give  nie 
a  shudder  to  think  of  entering  a  yourt,  but  there  was  often  no  help  for  it, 
and  I  had  to  go  in  and  do  my  best.  These  buildings  are  of  logs  or  poles, 
banked  around  with  earth,  and  made  flat  or  tunnel-shaped  on  top.  They 
are  half  sunk  in  the  ground,  so  that  it  is  no  gi'eat  effort  to  reach  the  roof 

from  the  outside.  A  hole  in  the 
centre  of  the  roof  serves  as  a  chim- 
ney and  door,  and  a  pole,  notched 
like  a  fence-^wst,  forms  a  ladder. 

"You  descend  directly  over  the 
fire,  shutting  your  eyes  and  trusting 
to  luck.  The  heat  and  smoke  are 
blinding  and  stifling,  so  that  you  are 
very  apt  to  lose  your  way.  When 
you  think  you  are  near  the  floor 
you  jump  from  the  ladder;  you 
should  try  to  jump  away  from  the 
fire,  but  sometimes  you  go  straight 
into  it,  or  possibly  into  the  kettle  in 
•       .  which  the  dinner  is  stewing.     The 

smoke  has  no  exit  except  through  the  hole  mentioned,  and  the  interior  of 
the  yourt  is  dimly  lighted  by  some  oil  burning  in  a  basin.  The  dogs  hang 
about  the  hole  above  you,  attracted  by  the  heat  and  the  smell  of  food ; 
they  are  constantly  quarrelling,  and  every  little  while  one  of  them  drops 
through  and  tumbles  into  the  fire  or  the  diimer-kettle.  In  either  event 
he  is  flung  outside,  but  the  dinner  is  not  spoiled  by  his  intrusion.  As  the 
Koraks  cook  the  whole  of  a  reindeer  except  the  hide  and  hoi-ns,  they  are 
not  at  all  troubled  by  the  presence  of  a  few  handfuls  of  dog's  hair  in 
their  soup." 

Bargaining  went  on  very  well  on  the  second  day,  and  forty  dogs  were 
procured  for  each  ship,  together  with  sledges  and  harness.  Four  drivers 
were  also  engaged,  two  for  each  ship,  and  the  party  returned  in  high 
spirits.  It  was  not  considered  safe  to  come  back  without  the  dogs,  for 
fear  the  natives  might  interpose^  therefore  the  animals  and  their  driv- 
ers headed  the  procession  on  its  return  to  the  landing-place.  Tiie  whole 
party  was  immediately  taken  on  board,  and  the  major  and  Fred  were  con- 
gratulated on  the  success  of  their  enterprise. 

The  rest  of  the  officers  had  not  been  idle ;  they  had  purchased  all  the 
fur  clothing  the  Chuckchees  would  sell,  and  all  dressed  deer -skins  the 


PURCHASING   FURS  AND  FUR  GARMENTS. 


107 


liigh 


•  driv- 

\vhole 

VQ  con- 


inarlvet  affoi'ded.  Tliese  would  be  made  up  by  the  sailore  on  bonrd  the 
ships  after  leaving  the  coast,  and  with  the  native  garments  as  tnodels  they 
would  have  no  diffieulty  in  performing  the  work.  At  Petropavlovsk  they 
l)uught  a  supply  of  kuklankers,  together  with  fur  boots  and  trousere,  but 
!is  the  French  officers  and  sailors  had  been  there  ahead  of  them,  they  did 
not  get  all  they  wanted.  The  kitklanker  is  a  sort  of  frock  with  a  hood, 
and  has  to  be  put  on  over  the  head,  like  the  ordinary  shirt  of  civilized  life. 
In  warm  weather  the  hood  hangs  over  the  shoulders,  but  in  the  intense 
cold  of  an  arctic  winter  it  is  drawn  ovrr  the  head,  and  forms  an  admi- 
rable protection.  The  best  quality  of  this  garment  is  made  of  deer-skin, 
with  the  hair  outside,  and  has  a  liuing  of  the  skins  of  very  young  deer 
or  some  cheap  fur.  Trousers  of  the  same  material,  with  deer-skin  boots, 
complete  the  costume  for  the  far  North. 

They  were  also  fortunate  in  finding  a  supply  of  dried  fish  for  dog's- 
lood  on  sledge  journeys;  it  was  carefully  stowed  away  where  the  animals 
could  not  reach  it,  and  for  the  present  they  were  fed  on  deer-meat.  As 
soon  as  the  dogs  were  quartered  on  board,  it  was  evident  that  the  ship 
would  be  far  less  peaceful  than  before  their  arrival.  The  brutes  had  the 
run  of  the  dock,  and  were  constantly  fighting;  George  said  they  were 
never  at  peace  nnless  they  were  hav- 
ing a  quarrel,  a'ld  the  only  way  to 
keep  them  quiet  was  to  let  them  fight 
whenever  they  wished.  In  the  night 
they  iiowled  almost  constantly,  and  it 
was  not  easy  to  sleep,  on  account  of 
their  noise.  Luckily,  they  did  not  hurt 
each  other  much  in  their  fights,  and 
their  drivers  had  plenty  of  occupation 
in  beating  them  whenever  they  de- 
served punishment. 

Two  sledges  were  bought  from  the 
natives,  and  also  a  complete  outfit  of 
liarness  for  tlie  dogs.    Then  there  were  a  kouak  belle. 

tiu'ee  sledges  which  had  been  made  in 

San  Francisco  from  the  arctic  models;  but,  with  all  tlie  skill  of  the 
American  carpenter  who  constructed  them,  they  were  nearly  twice  as 
lieavy  as  the  sledges  of  the  Koraks.  The  drivers,  Alexy  and  Petroff,  were 
not  favorably  inclined  to  the  American  sledges,  and  before  the  ship  sailed 
they  obtained  the  necessary  materials  from  their  people  on  shore,  and  of- 
fered to  construct  sledges  on  their  own  models. 


tv 


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108 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


im  7 


In  a  couple  of  days  after  the  return  from  the  purchase  of  the  dogg 
the  ships  were  ready  to  sail  in  search  of  the  pole.  As  hefore  ai'rangcd,  it 
was  understood  that  they  wore  to  keep  in  company  as  hjng  as  possible  and 


A   UALL   ON    SHIPBOARD. 


convenient,  but  eacli  was  at  liberty  to  seek  its  own  course,  and  say  "good- 
bye" whenever  it  chose  to  do  so.  The  evening  before  their  departure  was 
marked  by  an  event  of  considerable  interest  to  our  young  heroes. 

Captain  Girard  returned  the  compliment  of  Commander  Bronson  by 
inviting  him  to  dine  on  board  the  Gambetta,  accompanied  by  Major  Clapp 

and  Dr.  Tonner,  and  also  by  Fred  and 
George.  The  crew  of  the  Gamhetta  had 
obtained  permission  to  get  np  an  interna- 
tional ball,  to  which  the  crew  of  the  Vivian 
was  invited,  and  also  some  of  the  Chuck- 
chees  from  the  village  on  shore.  The 
French  sailors  decked  tlieir  ship  with  all 
the  flags  they  possessed,  and  so  many  of 
them  diessed  in  tancy  costume  that  the 
aifair  took  the  form  of  a  masked  ball  instead  of  a  plain  one.  As  tliere 
were  no  ladies  on  board  either  ship,  and  the  native  belles  were  not  accus- 


'ALL   HANDS   ROUND. 


Ill 


A   DANCE  ON  THE   "GAMBETTA." 


109 


"balanck." 


toiiied  to  European  dances,  sevoml  of  tlio  French 
sailors  jj;ot  tlieniselvea  np  in  feminine  dress,  and 
played  their  parts  adniirahly. 

A  spectator  at  the  dance  wonld  have  been  easi- 
ly deceived  hy  several  of  the  couples  and  quar- 
tettes as  they  balanced  to  each  other,  keeping  time 
to  the  music  of  the  violins  in  the  hands  of  the  per- 
formers, who  were  on  a  ])latform  of  hoards  placed 
over  a  couple  of  barrels.  The  disguise  was  excel- 
lent, and  would  have  done  credit  to  actors  nuide 
up  for  the  stage.     One  of  the  young  sailors  was 

dressed  as  a  flower-girl,  and  went  around  pre- 
tending to  sell  bouquets  made  from  moss  and 
shrubs  among  which  artificial  flowers  were  deft- 
ly woven.  Closely  following  the  flower-girl  was 
a  cook  with  a  basket  on  her  arm,  and  her  head 
neatly  covered  with  the  cap  which  is  the  badge 
of  her  occupation  at  home.  Tiien  came  a  stout 
old  sailor  disguised  as  a  fish-woman,  and  another 
who  pretended  to  be  a  pe(Mler  of  cakes  and 
sweetmeats.  Occasionally  these  perambulating 
characters  laid  aside  their  baskets  and  other  im- 
pedimenta to  join  in  the  dance,  which  was  as 
lively  as  the  music  would  pernut.  Some  of  the 
(lances  were  arransred  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  visitoi-s,  and  at  such  times  the  Americans  did 
their  best  to  make  a  name  for  their  country. 

Fiddler  Jack  was  there  with  his  band,  and  sup- 
l>lied  the  music  for  the  performance  whenever  it 
was  desired  to  relieve  the  French  violinists.  Con- 
sequently there  was  no  lack  of  entertainment  for 
the  Americans,  and  though  they  did  not  become  as 
excited  as  their  hosts  in  the  execution  of  the  fig- 
ures, they  managed  to  work  themselves  into  a  con- 
dition of  great  warmth. 

The  dinner  in  the  cabin  was  over  while  the  ball 
was  under  way,  and  the  gentlemen  went  on  deck 
to  enjoy  it.    Jack's  band  happened  to  be  playing 

when  they  appeared,  and  at  once  the  music  was  shifted  to  the  strains  of 
"Pinafore:"  the  sailore  of  both  ships  took  the  hint,  and  at  once  the  song 


FLOWER-OIItU 


FISH- WOMAN. 


</) 


*  •    It  ■-■ 

A  1  !• 


no 


THK   VOYAGE  OF  THK  "VIVIAN." 


''^i 


>      if 


tt  y-- 


was  picked  up,  and  ccliocd  far  over  tlie  watei-s  of  tlie  Arctic  Ocean,  a!id 
aloiij^  tlie  desolate  shore  of  North-eastern  Siberia  : 

"For  hf'H  the  cnptain  of  the  Vii<i-an, 
Car  It  M<  en/tiliiine  tin  (/ain-hel-ta, 
And  a  very  ^<m>(I  ea|itaiti,  too. 
'  El  tret  bon  ca/iitaiiw,  liti." 

At  ten  o'clock  the  ball  came  to  an  end,  and  the  officers,  and  crew  of  the 
Vivian  returned  to  tlieir  ship.  The  sun  was  still  above  the  horizon,  and 
consequently  intiny  of  the  attendants  at  the  ball  were  unwillin<;f  to  close 
the  p  rforinance.  Geoi'jije  sujjgested  that  it  was  not  a  good  place  for  sing- 
ing the  popular  air  "Wo  won't  go  Home  till  Morning,"  since  the  move- 
ments of  the  sun  would  compel  them  to  keep  up  a  month  or  two,  to  com- 
ply with  the  suggestion  of  the  chorus.  Candles  were  of  little  use  in  such 
a  latitude,  and  nobody  was  inclined  to  look  forward  to  the  arctic  winter, 
when  darkness  would  be  as  continuous  as  was  then  the  daylight. 


THE   COOK. 


ii:|:;:' 


STUUlKti  OF  TH£   W1ULUU8, 


lU 


I  CHAPTER  VII!. 

FROM   SIBERIA   TO  WRAXGELL   lyLAND.— ICEBERGS   AND  A   BEAR- HUNT. 


AT  the  appointed  time  the  two  exploring  ships  sailed  from  the  coast 
and  headed  to  the  north.  A  few  honrs  before  their  departure  a 
whaler  camo  to  anchor  near  their  moorings;  Commander  lironson  sent 
Captain  Jones,  accompanied  by  Fred  and  George,  to  ascertain  if  there 
was  any  news  of  imjwrtance. 

The  whaler  reported  ice  in  small  patches  to  the  north  and  east,  and 
said  another  whaler  had  told  iiim  there  was  atj  extensive  barrier  of  ice 
between  the  coast  of  Siberia  and  Wrangell  Island.  There  were  several 
whalers  at  work  tliere,  and  they  had  met  with  \ery  good  luck.  Two  of 
them  were  nearly  full,  and  would  complete  their  cargoes  before  the  end 
of  summer,  when  they  would  sail 
directly  for  the  Sandwich  Islands 
or  San  Francisco.  One  whaler  had 
lost  a  boat  in  a  battle  witii  a  whale, 
but  the  crew  was  saved,  so  that  the 
accident  was  of  little  consequence. 
Another  whaler  had  been  nipped  in 
the  ice,  and  got  off  without  much 
damage;  on  the  whole  the  season's 
work  was  satisfactory,  and  the  whal- 
ers  were  hai>py. 

"  I  hope  they'll  get  out  of  the 
Arctic  Ocean  before  the  ice  comes 
down,"  said  Captain  Jones,  as  the 
boat  was  returning  to  the  Vivian. 

"  Every  few  years  some  of  them  get  caught  by  the  ice  before  they  pass 
the  capes,  and  when  it  comes  down  with  full  force  it  crushes  them  like 
egg-shells.  In  1S71  thirty-three  whaling  sliips,  almost  in  sight  of  each 
other,  were  caught,  and  crushed  between  the  ice  and  the  shore ;  the  wind 
was  against  them,  and  the  ice  di'ifted  faster  than  they  could  work  ahead." 


A    r.UTHIC    ICEUKIta. 


H' 

ii 

c 

n 

S?. 
-a 


r*.     I' 


112 


THE  VOYAUK   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


"H  4: 


One  of  the  youths  aAkcd  how  it  hnppenod  that  bo  mnny  of  them  were 
oncloHed  at  once. 

"They  were  chasiiij?;  n  hirge  school  of  whales,"  was  the  reply,  "and 
went  farther  than  it  was  safe  to  j^o.  Finding  the  ivo  was  closing  on  them, 
and  that  a  ]>art  of  the  fleet  would  (;ertainly  ho  lost,  the  captains  decided  to 
abandon  the  ships  that  were  in  the  most  dangerous  positions,  and  go  on 
board  those  which  had  the  best  chance  of  escaping.  A  few  had  already 
been  crushed  between  the  ice  and  the  shore  before  this  decision  was  nuule, 
but  ha])pily  no  lives  were  lost.  Some  of  the  ships  were  nearly  full  of  oil, 
and  the  loss  of  ])roperty  was  estimated  at  a  million  and  a  half  of  dollai's." 

"The  whalers  have  had  a  hard  time  in  this  part  of  the  world,"  said 
one  of  the  youths.  "  I  was  reading  yesterday  how  the  rebel  steamer 
iShenandoah  came  here  during  the  civil  war  and  burned  all  the  whale- 
ships  she  could  find." 

"You  are  not  exactly  right  on  that  point,"  replied  the  captain.  "The 
Shenandoah  came  to  the  Arctic  Ocean  in  1865,  at  the  close  of  the  rebel- 
lion, and  destroyed  all  the  whaling  ships  she  could  find;  I  was  hero  at  the 
time,  and  my  ship  barely  escaped  destruction.  I  left  Plover  Bay  one 
night,  and  sailed  out  into  Behring  Sea,  and  the  next  day  the  Shenandoah 
uamo  in  and  burned  ten  whalers.  All  the  captains  knew  that  the  war 
was  over,  and  showed  newspapers  and  letters  to  confirm  their  assertion 
to  the  captain  of  the  Shenandoah,  but  he  refused  to  believe  them.  Al- 
together he  destroyed  thirty  whale -ships.  The  captain  of  an  English 
whaler,  the  Robert  Tawns,  warned  some  of  the  Americans  of  their  dan- 
ger, and  enabled  them  to  escape,  and  was  consequently  threatened  by  the 
Shenandoah. 

"  It's  an  old  story  now,"  he  continued, "  but  every  whaleman  feels  a 
grudge  against  Waddell,  the  captain  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  will  hold  it 
as  long  as  he  lives.  As  the  Shenandoah  was  an  English  ship,  fitted  out  in 
Liverpool,  and  well  known  to  be  bound  on  a  piratical  enterprise,  we  don't 
feel  very  kindly  towards  England  in  consequence;  especially  so  when  she 
was  allowed  to  recruit  a  crew  openly  in  Melbourne,  and  received  facil- 
ities in  that  and  other  ports  which  were  denied  to  United  States  ships. 
But  here  we  arc  at  the  Viviaii's  side,  and  in  half  an  hour  we'll  be  on  our 
way  to  sea." 

The  ships  went  under  sail,  and  did  not  even  light  theii-  fires  to  get 
away  from  land.  The  wind  was  blowing  off  the  shore,  and  the  breeze  was 
fair  towards  the  north. 

The  course  was  laid  for  Herald  Island,  in  latitude  72°  north,  longitude 
176°  west.    The  youths  supposed  it  had  been  named  after  the  iTijto  York 


'■']\mM 


f;iif 


THE  t'lIAKACTEU  OF  I'OLAU   IfK. 


113 


Ifi  rahl^  hut  lonrnnd,  on  roforonco  to  tlui  hooks,  tlmt  it  was  (li«coverc(l  nnd 
iiiuncd  hy  (.'rtptiiin  Kollt'tt,  of  the  Hrifish  Khip  //imA/,  in  1840.  Othor 
iiuvi<^nitiii-H  chiiitied  to  liiivu  8(>(>m  it  hufom  (Jtiittuiii  Kullutt,  hnt  thu  luttur 
was  tho  first  to  hitul  on  its  Hhoriss. 

The  day  after  leaving  the  coast  (Captain  .Tt)ncs  ordered  tho  (irowVnest 
to  '.)e  ri^<^ed  on  the  foremast.  Fred  nnd  (Jetjrgo  watched  tho  t  r ration 
with  a  ji;o()d  deal  of  interest,  as  thoy  had  alre.'idy  seen  tho  crow's-nest 
(•II  eonio  of  tho  whalers,  hut  had  heen  too  busy  to  investigate  its  con- 
Htniction. 

Captain  Jones  told  them  that  tho  crow's-nest  was  an  invention  of  Cap- 
tiiin  Scoreshv,  or  at  all  events  he  had  tho  credit  of  it.  Ordinarily  a  man 
is  stationed  aloft  to  watch  for  whales,  and  as  tho  air  is  very  cold  ho  is  apt 
to  hccomc  beniimhed,and  runs  tho  risk  of  fallinjjf  off.  To  protect  him  from 
(huigor  and  from  tho  cold  a  cask  is  rigged  aloft,  and  in  this  cask  ho  stands 
wlien  on  duty.  Its  sides  shelter  him  from  the  wind,  and  in  case  ho  is  he- 
ninnhed  ho  cannot  fall  to  the  deck ;  theio  is  a  trap-door  in  the  bottom  for 
entering  it,  but  no  sailor  who  respects  himself  would  think  of  getting  in 
tliiit  way.  He  invariably  clambers  over  tho  side,  unless  he  has  been  so- 
cliilled  as  to  partially  lose  tho  use  of  his  limbs. 

"Tho  crow's-nest  is  a  point  of  observation  when  wo  are  looking  for 
whales,"  said  tho  captain, "  and  also  when  we  are  in  the  ice.  We  are  not 
going  to  chase  whales  now,"  ho  continued,  "  but  we  must  keep  a  sharp  eye 
on  the  ice  to  preserve  the  ship  from  iujury. 

"And  now  that  mo  are  in  the  region  of  ice,  I  may  as  well  tell  yoa 
some  of  its  peculiarities. 

"  There  are  two  kinds  of  ice  in  the  Arctic  Ocean — that  which  comes 
from  the  rivers,  and  is  made  from  fresh-water,  while  the  other  is  formed, 
from  the  salt-water  of  the  sea.  * 

"All  the  rivere  that  flow  into  the  Arctic  Ocean  bring  down  large  quan- 
tities of  ice  at  their  annual  floods.  This  amount  of  ice  would  alone  be 
enough  to  flU  up  the  entire  regions  within  thirty  degrees  of  the  pole,  in 
tiie  course  of  a  few  centuries,  if  it  were  not  melted  by  the  heat  of  summer 
or  drifted  away  by  the  currents. 

"The  ice  brought  down  by  tho  flowing  rivers,  such  as  the  Lena, Ivoly- 
Mia,  Yenisei,  Mackenzie,  and  others,  is  in  great  floes,  sucli  as  you  may  see 
ill  the  rivers  of  the  Northern  States  of  America  in  the  spring  of  tho  year, 
lint  there  are  other  rivers,  exactly  similar  to  the  glaciers  of  Switzerland, 
that  bring  down  masses  of  ice  in  the  form  of  bergs.  Greenland  has  great 
numbers  of  glaciere,  and  they  are  the  sources  of  the  bergs  which  float 
south  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  in  May  and  June  lie  in  the  track  of  the' 

8  . 


59 


iili-^^ 


114 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


steamers  between  America  and  Europe.     If  3'on  want  to  know  about  tlieiii 
in  detail  I  advise  you  to  read  'The  Land  of  Desolation,'  by  Dr.  Hayes." 

The  youths  promised  to  do  so  as  soon  as  their  talk  was  ended,  but 
meatitime  they  wanted  to  k)iow  about  the  ice  of  the  Polar  Sea. 


VIEW    OK    ICKUKUOiS. 


"Well,"  continued  the  captain,  "  the  whalemen  have  distinct  names 
for  all  the  varieties  of  polar  ice.  Of  course  all  the  salt-water  ice  is  flat, 
as  it  is  formed  by  freeziiifjj  the  surface  of  the  sea;  it  never  forms  a  berji', 
and  whenever  3'ou  see  a  berg  you  may  know  that  the  ice  is  fresh.  If  the 
salt-water  ice  spreads  over  a  large  area  it  is  called  &,  fields  find  if  it  is  a 
fleld  broken  into  smaller  expanses,  each  one  of  these  is  called  ■cijloe.  A 
fleld  or  floe  broken  into  smaller  pieces,  not  more  than  forty  or  flfty  yards 
in  diameter,  is  called  a  pacJc^  and  the  fragments  composing  a  pack  arc 
crowded  together  by  the  action  of  the  wind  and  waves,  so  that  their  sur- 
face is  often  exceedingly  difficult  to  cross.  A  broad  pack  is  9.  patch,  mmX 
a  long  and  narrow  pack  is  a  stream  ;  when  the  pieces  of  the  pack  are  suf- 
iiciently  separated  to  allow  a  ship  to  sail  through,  it  is  dvift-ice,  and  is  said 
to  be  loose  or  open  /  when  it  is  greatly  broken  up,  it  is  brush-ice  /  and 
when  the  pieces  crowd  each  other,  so  as  to  force  some  of  them  to  rise 


THE  ICE-BLINK. 


115 


Iiiijhci'  than  the  rest,  the  elevated  portions  are  called  hummocks.  In  heavy 
1  icks  there  are  often  a  great  many  hnminocks,  and  I  have  seen  them  not 
less  than  thirty  feet  high.  They  are  very  pretty  to  look  at,  hnt  are  the 
dread  of  all  who  are  obliged  to  travel  among  them,  as  they  greatly  hinder 
progress,  whether  on  sledges  or  on  foot." 

Fred  asked  what  tlie  iceblink  Was,  as  the  captain  paused  after  his  de- 
seription  of  the  different  kinds  of  ice. 

"  That,"  replied  the  captain, "  is  the  name  given  by  the  Dutch  sailors 
to  the  singular  appearance  of  the  horizon  where  it  is  bounded  by  the  ice. 
It  is  a  stratum  of  lucid  whiteness,  occasioned  by  the  glare  of  light  reflected 
a<:ainst  the  atmosphere  from  the  surface  of  the  ice ;  it  is  generally  in  the 
f(»riu  of  a  shining  streak,  and  always  looks  brightest  in  clear  weather.  An 
experienced  navigator  knows  by  the  ice-blink  when  he  is  approaching  ice, 
even  when  it  is  twenty  or  thirty  miles  beyond  the  line  of  direct  vision, 
lie  can  even  make  out  the  quality  of  the  ice:  the  blink  from  the  packs 
appears  of  a  pure  white,  while  that  from  snow-fields  has  a  tinge  of  yellow. 
Many  a  ship  has  been  saved  from  danger  by  the  ice-blink,  which  warned 
her  commander  what  to  do  win'le  he  had  plenty  of  sea-room  before  him.'' 


1 

t  »• 

•CI 


:a^ 


'A 


ON    AN    ICK-PACK. 


Just  then  the  captain's  attention  was  required  in  another  part  of  tlie 
ship,  and  the  interview  was  abruptly  terminated.  The  youths  went  below 
to  look  up  the  book  which  Captain  Jones  had  recommended  for  their 
perusal. 

They  learned  from  it  that  the  glaciers  from  which  the  icebergs  are 
formed  are  sometimes  several  miles  in  width  and  hinidi-eds  of  feet  high; 


!•■'!   m 


•  if 


116 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


they  All  many  of  tlie  valleys  rnniiiii";  down  to  the  sea,  and  as  their  proi^- 
ress  is  slo'v,  it  often  takes  nianv  months  for  the  formation  of  a  sincrle 
bei'g.  But  so  many  of  the  glaciers  are  at  work  that  the  aggregate  mnn- 
l)er  of  bergs  annually  born  and  set  afloat  is  very  large. 

This  is  the  process:  the  glacier  flows  slowly  along,  its  rate  varying 
according  to  the  season  of  the  year  and  the  temperature  of  the  atmos- 
])here.  Souietiines  it  may  be  only  an  inch  or  two  daily,  and  at  others  it 
may  advance  ten  or  twelve  inches  in  the  same  time.  As  it  reaches  the 
sea  the  end  is  pushed  out  into  the  water,  and  gradually  sinks  beneath  it; 
after  a  time  the  buoyancy  of  the  water,  lifting  on  the  immoise  mass  of 
ice,  causes  it  to  break  off  and  float  away.     Thus  the  iceberg  is  formed. 

Fresh  ice  floatinij  in  sea-water  has  seven-eighths  of  its  body  below  tiie 
surface  and  one-eighth  above;  consequently,  before  the  lifting  force  of 
the  water  can  be  exerted  on  the  end  of  the  glacier,  more  than  seven- 
eighths  of  it  must  be  forced  out  beneath  the  surface  of  the  sea,  or  of  the 
narrow  bay  where  the  glacier  frequently  has  its  termination.  When  the 
break  occurs  the  commotion  is  like  that  of  an  earthquake,  and  the  position 
of  a  ship  or  boat  in  front  of  the  glacier  is  full  of  danger.  Dr.  Hayes 
describes  an  incident  of  this  sort  where  a  party  from  his  ship  had  gone 
on  shore  to  take  photographic  vieM'S  of  the  glacier  and  the  mountains 
around  it.  The  ship  was  anchored  in  the  bay,  some  distance  below  the 
glacier,  and  her  captain  thought  she  was  in  no  danger. 

The  boat  reached  the  shore  without  difficulty,  and  the  Jiai'ty  proceeded 
to  set  up  their  instruments  on  the  rocks,  some  distance  above  the  landing- 
place.  Those  on  the  ship  were  busy  with  their  ordinary  work,  or  loitering 
around,  when  they  heard  some  loud  reports  which  indicated  the  breaking 
off  of  pieces  of  the  glacier.  The  fragments  fell  into  the  sea;  the  commo- 
tion they  created  caused  the  ship  to  roll  at  her  anchor,  and  waves  of  con- 
siderable extent  broke  on  the  rocks. 

While  thev  were  retjarding  the  stransre  occurrence,  and  tliinkinij  it 
was  all  over,  there  was  a  report  louder  than  all  the  others,  followed  by 
the  fall  of  a  grcit  mass  of  ice,  at  least  half  a  mile  long  and  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  in  width  ;  simultaneously  another  mass,  equally  large,  rose  from 
beneath  the  bay,  and  then  the  whole  front  of  the  glacier  seemed  to 
crumble  and  fall. 

Wonder  at  the  magnificent  spectacle  was  changed  to  thoughts  of  the 
peril  of  the  ship;  the  waves  rolled  up  with  tremendous  force,  one  greater 
than  all  the  rest  sweeping  from  the  front  of  the  glacier  down  the  bay  in 
the  direction  of  the  ship. 

As  it  passed  beneath  her  she  was  lifted  on  its  surface  and  borne  to- 


SCKNE  ON  THE  GKEIaLAND  COAST. 


117 


> 

a: 


o 
S 
o 


I  »•   » 

«  »• 


.?• 


=1 

"9 


I 


I    f. 


IHii 


118 


THE  VOYAGl':  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


wards  tlie  rocks;  but  fortunately  her  anclior  held,  and  slie  swung  Ijack  to 
her  place  uninjured.  The  wave  broke  on  the  cliffs  above  the  ship,  its 
force  being  so  great  that  the  sfjectators  estimated  its  height  at  a  hundred 
feet;  the  top  of  the  wave,  as  it  struck  the  rocks,  curled  backward  and  fe" 
on  the  deck  of  the  ship,  which  it  deluged  with  water,  but  not  enough  to 
sink  her.  Another  wave  followed,  and  then  another  and  another,  but  eacli 
was  less  violent  than  its  predecessor,  and  after  a  while  the  bay  rr'suined 
its  wonted  quiet. 

The  party  on  shore  had  quite  as  narrow  an  escape  as  those  on  the  ship. 
They  were  a  short  distance  from  the  beach  when  the  wave  reached  them, 
but  by  throwing  themselves  flat  on  the  rocks,  and  clinging  with  all  their 
might,  they  managed  to  hold  on.  One  of  them  lost  his  grasp  and  was 
thrown  sevei-al  yaids  by  the  wave,  but  though  considerably  bruised,  he 
seized  another  rock  and  was  saved.  They  lost  all  their  imi)lements,  and 
if  they  had  been  on  the  beach  when  the  wave  swept  down  the  bay,  it  is 
l)robable  that  not  one  would  have  escaped. 


■f-'-T- 


\^< 


^^  «»*'ir-^. 


.^;  ^^?*c\.     \  ^<^^^.W 


VERTICAL   SECTION    OF   A   GLACIER. 


Bergs  are  sometimes  seen  two  or  three  miles  long  and  several  hundred 
feet  high  floating  in  the  Atlantic;  remember  that  only  one-eighth  of  their 
mass  is  visible,  and  then  think  how  enormous  must  be  the  quantity  con- 
cealed below.  Frequently  several  large  bergs  will  be  found  close  together, 
which  were  evidently  from  the  same  glacier  and  broken  off  at  the  same 
time.  When  the  cc-'vulsion  took  place  by  which  they  were  thrown  from 
the  front  of  the  glacier  it  was  split  asunder,  and  thus  their  escape  was 
facilitated.  In  some  places  where  the  glaciers  come  down  to  the  sea,  the 
water  is  too  shallow  to  allow  the  bergs  to  float  off;  they  become  crowded 
toirether,  and  as  the  heat  of  the  sun  is  not  sufficient  to  melt  them  thev 
lie  for  years  close  to  the  place  of  their  formation. 

For  the  present  we  will  drop  the  consideration  of  the  iceberg,  and  its 
parent  the  glacier,  and  return  to  our  friends  on  the  Vivian. 

Captain  Jones  did  not  put  his  crow's-nest  in  order  any  too  soon,  for  not 
more  than  an  hour  atter  it  had  been  completed,  the  lookout  forward  re- 
ported fragments  of  ice  dead  ahead.     In  a  little  while  the  ship  was  among 


A  MAGNIFICENT  SPECTACLE. 


Ill) 


r 


i 


Q 

t" 

g 


:«l 


i  1  ■ 


■•5J 


i.i  iiji! 


f:l:: 
l;f: 


•f ,  |ii 


120 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


them,  but  tliey  were  neither  nmnerous  nor  large;  Ijeyond  indicating  what 
might  be  expected  before  long,  they  were  of  no  particular  consequence. 
Captain  Jones  caused  a  piece  to  be  fished  up  as  they  sailed  slowly  along, 
and  on  examination  he  pronounced  it  pack-ice  that  had  probably  drifted 
from  the  eastward.  Orders  were  given  to  shorte..  sail  during  the  night, 
and  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout  lest  they  might  suddenly  be  brought  against 
something  more  serious  than  the  fragments  they  had  thus  far  encountered. 

The  air  was  perceptibly  colder  than  the  day  before,  although  the  wind 
blew  from  the  south,  and  had  not  changed  its  direction  a  single  point  since 
their  departure  from  land.  The  next  day  the  scene  was  unchanged,  with 
the  exception  that  the  drift-ice  was  somewhat  more  abundant,  and  the 
lookout  thought  there  was  an  indication  of  an  ice-blink  on  the  horizon, 
betokening  serious  work  before  them. 

Both  vessels  held  their  course  for  Herald  Island,  and  it  was  aijrreed 
that  if  they  were  separated  during  the  night  from  any  cause,  they  would 
endeavor  to  meet  at  its  eastern  extremity.  There  was  no  special  glory  in 
landing  there,  as  the  island  had  been  several  times  visited  since  Captain 
Kellett's  exploration,  but  it  contained  an  arctic  post-office,  whei''  Com- 
mander Bronson  desired  to  leave  letters  for  future  ships. 

The  ice  increased  as  the  ships  advanced,  and  by  the  next  morning  there 
was  "  more  ice  than  ocean,"  as  Captain  Jones  expressed  it.  On  the  eastern 
horizon  there  was  an  appearance  of  a  solid  pack,  while  to  the  west  only 
loose  ice  was  visible.  The  signal-flags  were  set  at  work  between  the  Giiin- 
betta  and  Vivian,  and  it  was  agreed  that  they  would  steer  to  the  north- 
west, and  i)robably  sight  Wrangell  Island  if  the  condition  of  the  ice  re- 
mained nnchanged.  At  the  time  this  agreement  was  made  they  were 
exactly  on  the  70th  parallel  of  latitude,  and  Wrangell  Island  was  thought 
to  be  about  one  hundred  miles  away,  in  a  north-westerly  direction.  As 
they  changed  their  course  the  wind  died  out,  and  there  was  not  enough 
breeze  to  fill  the  sails. 

An  hour  or  so  after  the  signalling  was  over  the  man  aloft  called  out, 

"  Bear  on  the  ice  on  the  port  bow  !" 

Of  course  there  was  a  rush  to  that  side  of  the  ship.  Fred  ran  below 
for  liis  glass,  and  speedily  returned.  It  did  not  take  long  to  discover  the 
bear,  who  was  sitting  on  the  ice  as  though  wondering  how  he  got  there. 
George  remarked  that  the  brute  was  evidently  monarch  of  all  he  surveyed, 
to  which  Fred  retorted  that  he  couldn't  be  much  of  a  surveyor,  as  his  do- 
main was  not  more  than  a  hundred  feet  from  side  to  side. 

A  boat  was  loweied  to  go  in  pursuit  of  the  game ;  Major  Clapp  and 
Dr.  Tonner  formed  the  hunting  party,  each  armed  with  a  heavy  rifle  with 


AWAllLNY"    HIS  PL'KSUEKS. 


ll>l 


»» 


-/J 


CI 

•St 


TUK    UKMl   AT    UAY. 


122 


TIIK    VOYAGE   OF  THK   "VIVIAN." 


g,,    '  '' 


II:   ■'■i 


< 


wliich  to  do  efFc'ctive  work  on  the  occiiinint  of  tlio  Hoo.  Tlit;  bout  liud  iim 
euHV  task  before  it,  as  tlie  sea  was  pretty  well  tilieci  with  loose  ice,  aiui  it 
was  hii^hly  desirable  to  avoid  coiiiiiijjf  in  violent  contact  with  any  of  the 
floatiiii^  cakes.  The  Doctor  acted  as  ice- j)iiiit,  and  performed  his  work 
very  well;  standini^  in  the  bow  he  directed  the  course  of  the  boat,  keep- 
ing the  bear  steadily  in  view,  except  when  he  was  hidden  by  hummocks  ot 
ice.  Thev  had  about  a  mile  to  ijo  in  a  direct  line,  but  so  tortuous  was  the 
course  that  it  took  them  a  full  hour  to  reach  the  tioe  where  the  bear  had 
his  sunnner  residence. 

As  they  drew  near,  Bruin  came  close  to  the  edge  of  his  domain,  as 
though  intending  to  dispute  its  possession.  The  major  I'aised  his  ritie  to 
tire  when  within  a  himdred  yards,  but  with  a  wave  t)l"  his  hand  the  Doctor 
restrained  him. 

"  Don't  tire  as  long  as  he  stands  thei-e,"  whis|)ered  the  Doctor.  ''  The 
closer  we  can  get,  the  better  will  be  our  chance  of  dropping  him." 

The  major  saw  the  force  of  Dr.  Tonner's  suggestion,  and  allowed  the 
l)oat  to  proceed,  but  he  held  his  rifle  ready  for  action  at  the  lii'st  movement 
of  the  beast.  Evidently  the  bear  was  not  accustomed  to  the  sight  of  boats, 
and  looked  upon  the  new-comer  as  an  inhabitant  of  the  waters  wIio>c 
acquaintance  he  had  not  yet  made. 

He  allowed  the  boat  to  approach  within  twenty  yards,  and  then  the 
nuijor  told  the  men  to  stop  rowi.g.  As  the  boat  reduced  its  speed  the 
i-iHe  sent  a  bullet  directly  into  the  breast  of  the  bear;  he  gave  a  leap  back- 
ward and  fell  heavily  on  his  side,  luit  was  up  in  a  few  seconds. 

It  was  now  the  Doctor's  turn,  and  he  was  quick  to  embrace  it.  The 
nt'jor  had  a  front  view  of  the  bear  when  he  tired  ;  as  the  animal  rose,  it 
looked  as  though  he  intended  to  seek  safety  in  flight,  and  present  only  a 
rear  view  to  the  Doctor.  But  the  beast  was  not  devoid  of  curiosity,  and 
tliis  was  fatal  to  him. 

He  turned  to  look  at  his  assailants,  and  as  he  did  so  the  Doctor  fired  as 
closely  to  the  heart  as  he  was  able  to  aim.  Instead  of  the  ordinary  bullet 
he  used  an  explosive  one;  as  it  struck  the  bear's  side,  and  was  fairly  em- 
bedded in  the  flesh,  it  exploded,  tearing  a  hole  large  enough  for  the  inser- 
tion of  one's  hand.  By  this  time  the  major  had  a  fresh  cartridge  in  his 
Remington  ritle,  and  sent  another  brllet  not  more  than  two  or  three  sec- 
onds behind  the  Doctor's.  Down  w-ent  the  bear.  The  boat  was  now  at  the 
edge  of  the  ice ;  one  of  the  men  lield  it  with  an  ice-hook,  and  the  Doctor 
sprang  on  the  floe,  closely  followed  by  the  major. 

Both  thought  the  bear  was  dead,  l)ut  they  had  learned  prudence  from 
experience.     "  Always  approach  a  dead  mule  by  the  head,"  said  the  Doc- 


\  1 


KEfSULT   OF  A   HKAK-HIJNT. 


123 


tor,  "iiii'l  11  tlcud  lu'iii-  l>y  tliu  hido.  A  deud  imdo  has  been  known  to  kick, 
iind  a  dead  bear  will  rise  and  hitu."  As  they  put  fresh  cartrid<^es  in  their 
ritles  the  bear  snddeidy  rose  again  ;  he  was  not  more  than  a  dozen  feet 
iVoin  his  assailants,  and  as  they  were  standing  opposite  his  side  they  had 
iui  excellent  mark. 

The  two  bidU't  broun;!.«'i;  him  to  the  ground  again,  or  rather  to  the  Ice, 
and  the  major  said  he  ought  to  be  killed  by  ihls  time.  An  uar  was  brought 
i  lom  the  boat,  and  one  of  the  sailors  prodded  the  recumbent  beast  with  it, 
wliile  the  huntei's  stood  ready  to  shoot  in  case  he  stirred.  There  was  no 
movement,  and  the  game  was  evidently  theirs;  but  to  make  assurance 
doubly  sure,  the  Doctor  sent  a  solid  bullet  through  the  animal's  skull,  re- 
iiiarkiiig  as  he  did  so,  that  probably  such  a  thing  never  entered  the  bear's 
head  before. 

It  was  a  full-grown  arctic  bear,  in  excellent  condition,  and  estimated  to 
weigh  not  far  from  twelve  hundred  pounds.  The  next  thing  to  consider 
was  the  question  of  removal:  it  was  not  easy  to  handle  such  a  i)urden  and 
place  it  in  the  boat,  and  it  would  be  a  difficult  matter  to  tow  it  back  to 
the  ship.  The  major  decided  to  skin  and  divide  the  animal  where  he  lay, 
and  as  each  sailor  was  provided  with  a  knife,  and  the  Doctor  had  bi'ought 
along  a  pair  of  sharp  blades  for  use  in  case  of  need,  the  operation  was 
(piickly  accomplished. 

Of  course  the  party  had  been  carefully  watched  from  the  ship,  and  the 
death  of  the  bear  was  known  there  as  soon  as  it  occurred.  Meantime  the 
course  of  the  ship  had  been  changed,  so  as  to  bi'ing  it  within  less  than  half 
a  mile  of  the  floe  where  the  prize  was  taken ;  another  boat  was  sent  to 
assist  in  bringing  home  the  provisions,  and  in  little  more  than  an  hour 
from  the  time  the  iirst  shot  was  lired,  the  entire  party  was  back  again. 
The  major  and  the  Doctor  received  the  congratulations  of  their  friends  at 
the  success  of  the  hunt,  which  had  been  a  pleasant  episode,  and  supplied 
fresh  meat  for  the  table.  The  signal  "  we  wish  to  communicate  "  Avas 
hoisted;  the  Gamhetta  was  a  couple  of  miles  to  windward,  and  on  seeing 
the  signal  she  bore  down  to  come  nearer  her  consort.  The  breeze  con- 
tinued light,  and  it  was  some  time  before  she  was  near  enough  for  the 
Vli'ianHs  purpose.  When  the  ships  were  about  half  a  mile  ai)art  a  boat 
was  sent  to  Captain  Girard  with  one  of  the  quarters  of  the  bear,  accompa- 
nied by  the  conq^liments  of  Commander  Bronson,  and  those  of  the  two 
heroes  of  the  frav. 

Tn  the  cabin  of  the  Vivicm  they  had  steaks  of  polar  bear  for  dinner, 
and  the  party  was  unanimous  in  declaring  it  equal  to  the  best  beefsteak 
they  had  ever  tasted.     The  Doctor  intimated  that  the  fatness  of  the  bear, 


i:i 


»> 
;l 

CI 


13 

a 


124 


Tin:  v()YA(ii:  OF  Tin:  "Vivian." 


c 

r 


and  i>rol»!il)ly  his  youth,  had  a  fj^ood  deal  to  do  with  thu  favt»ral)lo  opiiiimi 
passed  ii[)uii  him.  "  If  he  had  ha[)i)eiied  to  he  old  and  lean,"  said  the 
man  of  medicine,  "  we  should  have  heard  a  different  story.  I  have  tried 
to  eat  the  flesh  of  the  polar  bear  when  it  was  like  devouring  a  section  of  a 
hoot-sole." 

Fred  asked  what  was  the  pr()[)er  name  of  the  animal  :  nhould  he  he 
called  white,  jtolar,  or  arctic  bear  i! 

"As  to  .liat,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "there  is  a  difference  of  opinion. 
Scientifically  he  is  Cfrsus  uiaritlmns^  or  '  bear  of  the  sea;'  his  home  is  un 
the  ice  of  the  northern  seas,  and  the  name  fits  him  perfectly,  lie  is  a 
good  swinnnei',  and  takes  readily  to  the  water  when  occasion  reipiires; 
when  he  lives  on  land  it  is  rather  from  necessity  than  choice,  as  liis  food 
comes  mostly  from  the  sea,  or  the  bays  that  empty  into  it.  His  chief  prey 
is  the  seal,  and  one  of  these  days  we  nuiy  see  the  ingemiity  of  the  bear  in 
securing  his  dinner. 

"lie  is  a  dingy  yellow,  rather  than  white,  and  therefore  'white  bear' 
does  not  properly  describe  him;  we  don't  know  whether  he  is  found  at  the 
North-jjole  or  not,  and  consequently  'polar  bear'  may  be  a  misnomer;  his 
liome  is  in  the  arctic  regions,  and  you  may  call  him  'arctic  bear'  without 
fear  of  contradiction.  IJut  if  you  employ  any  other  of  the  names  already 
mentioned,  none  of  us  will  dispute  you ;  huiguage  was  made  for  the  use  of 
man,  and  not  man  for  language,  and  nobody  should  lose  his  digestion  if 
our  prize  of  to-day  is  set  down  as  a  white  or  a  jtolar  bear.  Ursus  luariti- 
vius  is  too  long  for  practical  service." 

The  crew  was  regaled  on  bear-meat,  and  so  were  the  dogs;  the  former 
took  their  allowance  in  peace,  but  not  so  the  four-footed  members  of  the 
ship's  company.  Tlie  scent  of  the  meat  excited  them,  and  they  came  near 
eating  up  their  drivers  in  their  eagerness  to  get  at  their  allowance  of  the 
new  food.  In  spite  of  all  efforts  to  restrain  them,  they  had  as  many  fights 
as  there  were  dogs  in  the  paity,  with  several  extra  quarrels  thrown  in  to 
keep  things  lively. 

The  morning  after  the  incident  of  the  bear-hunt  the  lookout  reported 
land  in  sight,  and  the  commander  mounted  to  the  cross-trees  to  inspect  it. 
There  were  mountains  in  the  background,  and  the  coast  was  fringed  witli 
ice,  which  threatened  to  be  an  effectual  barrier  to  a  near  approach.  The 
position  on  the  chart  indicated  that  th'3y  were  in  sight  of  Wrangell  Island, 
and  the  ships  were  headed  for  it  as  directly  as  possible.  As  the  Vivian 
approached  the  land  a  strip  of  gravelly  beach  was  made  o\it,  but  there 
were  no  signs  of  vegetation  or  animal  life,  greatly  to  the  disappointment 
of  o'U'  young  friends. 


WKAXCiKLL   ISF.ANI). 


Ul 


Tlio  ico  was  not  so  ivhiiiitlimt  iis  on  flm  previous  dsiy,  l>iit  the  floos  woi'o 
l;ir<;cM',  and  Cinitjiin  Joik'h  itnicccdcd  with  ciintion,  tlii'oni,di  four  ot"  s])iiii<;- 
iiii;  11  leak  in  tlio  sides  of  his  (trait.  Freciuentlv  it  was  necessary  to  shorten 
~,iil,  and  so  nnieh  time  was  lost  in  this  way  that  the  Ion";  ai'ctic;  tluy  was 
drawing  to  a  close  when  they  were  yut  u  dozen  miles  from  shore. 


\ 


t. 

»• 

»< 

CI 


aCKXK    IN    KUONT   OK   TIIK    ISLAND. 


rnllowiniif  the  eiiarts,  and  the  directions  laid  down  in  Mr.  Gilder's  "  Ice- 
pack and  Tundra,"  the  two  ships,  early  the  next  njcrnini!^,  headed  foi-  the 
sotithorn  end  of  the  island,  and  entered  the  harhor  where  the  Uinhjcrs 
anchored  on  her  cruise  in  searcli  of  the  Jeannette.  They  found  ])lenty  of 
water  and  good  anchorage,  just  as  Mr,  Gilder  described,  though  the  bay 
was  encumbered  with  ice  that  had  evidently  been  blown  there  !>}•  the  wind. 
As  there  were  two  ships,  it  required  considerable  mandMivring  to  get  them 
I'lviperlv  anchored  M'here  there  was  no  danijer  of  their  interferin<<:  with 
cai.'h  other;  the  best  part  of  the  forenoon  was  gone  before  this  work  was 
liver,  and  Captain  Jones  decided  not  to  send  a  boat  on  shore  until  the  men 
ii  id  eaten  their  dinnei-s. 

The  captain  of  the  Gamhetta  was  less  consitlerate,  as  his  ship  had  not 
settled  to  rest  after  dropping  her  anchor  before  a  boat  was  seen  stealing 
away  from  her  side  and  heading  for  the  land.  The  French  flag  waved  over 
Iicr  stern,  and  it  was  evident  that  the  explorers  intended  to  lioist  the  tri- 
ciplor  in  advance  of  the  stars  and  stripes. 


I.:     n 


120 


TIIK   V()YA(ii:  OF  Tin;   "VIVIAN." 


Fled  1111(1  (rcoi'^ro  wanted  to  start  at  oiico  mid  <;et  iiliond  of  their  rival. 
but  tliuir  |>ro|Misiil  was  prdiiiptly  ('li('cl<cd  l>y  tlio  coiiiiiiaiidcr. 

"  Niivor  iiiitid  what  tliey  do  now,"  caid  lie;  '*  tlic!  islaiul  lias  hocn  visifdl 
Itoforc,  and  ro  nol)odv  can  dist;ov(M'  it.  American  wlialers  liavo  Ixmmi  here, 
and  HO  liavo  Aiiieri(tan  exi>loiin<r  siiips.  The  rexenno  eiittor  ('i)nrin  w;i- 
her(!  in  ISSI,  a  month  or  more  in  advance  of  the  litidtjers,  and  they  hotli 
hoisted  tlie  American  flag  over  Wrani^ell  Island  and  left  records  t)f  tlicii' 
visit.  Let  the  Frenchmen  enjoy  themselves.  Think  of  what  the  j)eo|ilr 
of  Florida  say  of  the  Northerners  who  «;(»  to  that  State  and  shoot  at  tli<' 
allii^ators:  'The  Northerners  are  amused,  and  the  allij^ators  don't  iniinl 
it.'" 


"1 

i 


•3 
•r 


r 


WINTKn-QUAUTKnS   OF    BARENTZ    TIIRKK    HU.NniiKn    YEARS   AOO. 


HHniT  UN   WUANXIKLL  I8LAND. 


197 


1 


ClIAITKU   IX 

A  VISIT   TO  \Vi{A\(iF,I,l,    ISI,AM>.— III'NTINC   SKALS,  W'AIJM'SKS.   AND    i'OI.AU 

ilKAIlS. 

r  wns  no  on-^y  !natt(M'  for  the  Fioiicli  I'oat  to  push  tlimntjli  flio  ciikcN  of 


ice,  Imt  the  c 


ffort 


w 


•Mi  siu'cossfiil ;  iiiul  just  iw  the  lucn  (»!'  the  Vli'inn 


ueroeiilleil  t(Mliiiii(>r  th(^  French  tliii;  was  seen  Wiivini^on  ii  rock  just  iihovo 


the  si 


lore 


As  so(»n  as  dinner  was  over  a 


l)oat 


was  sen 


toff 


Ironi 


the  I 


inan. 


rarrvinir  the  two  yonths,  with  the  major  and  Doctor.  A  hine  throiii^h  tho 
i('(!  at  oiK!  side  of  the  Iniy  had  slowly  opeiuvl  fiiiice  the  (iamhettiiK  Itoat 
made  its  journey,  and  enabled  tho  Americans  to  reach  the  land  much  moro 
rapidly  than  their  I'ivals. 

Meantime  tho  French  party  had  wandered  off  to  tho  northward,  leav- 
ini;  two  men  in  charu:(?  of  their  boat;  most  of  them  were  out  of  sight 
licyond  tho  rocks,  and  just  as  the  Americans  reache(l  the  shore  the;  report 
nf  a  rifle  was  heard,  followed  (piickly  hy  anotiier  and  another.  Fred  and 
( u'or<;(!  started  in  the  direcition  of  the  sounds,  hut  before  they  had  gone  a 
dozen  yards  one  of  tho  French  ofllcers  appeared  from  behind  a  largo  rock 
and  waved  his  handkerchief,  so  that  it  (;onld  bo  seen  from  the  shij)S. 

''They've  probably  killed  a  boar,"  said  (fcorge,  "and  ho  wants  a  boat 
to  carry  the  prize  on  board." 

The  signal  was  answered  from  the  Gamoeiin.,  and  in  a  few*  minutes  a 
boat  was  on  its  way  from  that  ship  to  the  land.  The  officer  then  disap- 
peared tho  way  ho  had  come,  and  the  youths  concluded  not  to  follow  him. 
'"Let  them  have  their  bear  all  to  themselves,"  said  Fred;  "and  if  wo  get 
one  thev  won't  have  anv  excuse  for  interfering  with  us." 

They  rejoined  tho  major  and  the  Doctor,  and  accompanied  by  two  sailors 
from  the  boat,  the  four  explorers  started  in  a  direction  different  from  that 
taken  by  the  Frenchmen.  It  led  them  along  tho  beach  for  half  a  mile  or 
more,  where  the  ice  lay  piled  up  in  great  winrows,  with  here  and  there  a 
lew  open  lanes.-  At  the  highest  point  where  the  tide  rose  there  were  many 
l)ieces  of  driftwood,  and  our  friends  were  able  to  corroborate  the  testimony 
<»f  Mr.  Gilder,  that  the  coast  of  Wrangell  Island  is  strewn  with  fragments 
of  logs  which  have  been  borne  thither  l)y  the  currents.     Mr.  Gilder  says 


»• 

k. 

\ 

»• 

i 

i* 


128 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


that  the  Ilod<jers  party  found  many  utensils  of  wood  here  tliat  were  mado 
by  the  natives  of  the  Siberian  and  American  coasts,  some  of  them  present- 
ing a  very  ancient  appearance.  Occasionally  there  are  articles  of  civilized 
inamifactnre,  but  no  one  can  tell  whether  they  came  from  ^\recks  of  siiips 
or  were  dropped  overboard  from  whalers.  Fi-ed  looked  for  a  portion  of  a 
spar  mentioned  by  that  gentleman,  and  found  it  lying  apparently  undis- 
tm-bed  since  the  visit  of  the  Rodgers.  "Tliere  could  be  very  little  reason 
for  its  absence,"  said  Fred,  as  he  touched  the  spar  with  his  foot, "  as  there 
is  no  record  that  any  ship  has  been  here  since  the  Eodgers,  and  the  na- 
tives are  not  in  the  iiabit  of  venturing  as  far  as  this  from  the  coast." 

Moralizing  on  the  origin  of  the  driftwood  on  "VVrangell  Island  resulted 
in  the  conclusion  that  it  had  been  brought  there  from  America  and  Siberia, 
principally  the  former.  It  is  evident  that  the  prevailing  tendency  of  the 
currents  is  towards  the  west,  and  this  theoi-y  was  contirmed  by  observation 
of  the  masses  of  ice  that  ground  against  the  headlands  protecting  the  har- 
bor where  the  Vivian  and  Gambetta  wei-e  lying.  Even  when  the  wind 
blew  from  the  east  the  flow  of  the  ice  was  M'estward.  Mr.  Gilder  had  pre- 
viouslv  recorded  a  similar  circumstance,  and  said  that  sometimes  when  the 
people  of  the  Rodgevs  went  to  bed,  while  they  lay  at  Wrangell  Island,  they 
would  see  pack-ice  tilling  the  sea  as  far  as  the  eye  conld  i-each;  and  when 
they  went  on  deck  next  morning  there  was  a  vast  expanse  of  open  water, 
with  only  a  cake  of  ice  floating  here  and  there  on  the  surface.  Quite  as 
often  they  found  the  solid  pack  in  the  morning  where  it  was  clear  water 
the  night  before;  these  sudden  changes  had  given  rise  to  a  theory  which 
prevails  among  the  whalers,  that  the  ice  sinks  and  rises  in  obedience  to 
some  unknown  law  of  nature. 

After  a  time  our  friends  left  the  beach  and  ascended  to  the  higher 
ground.  Major  Clapp  was  a  little  in  advance,  when  he  suddenly  waved 
his  hand  and  intimated  that  there  was  fun  ahead.  Guns  were  set  at  half- 
cock,  and  the  hunting  blood  was  apparently  high.  As  the  rest  of  the  party 
reached  the  major's  side  the  reason  for  his  action  was  apparent. 

Two  bears,  one  of  goodly  size  and  the  other  a  partly-grown  cub,  were 
walking  leisin-ely  among  the  rocks  on  their  way  to  the  sea-shore,  where 
they  evidently  hoped  to  pick  up  a  breakfast.  They  had  not  seen  the  in- 
truders in  their  domain,  or  at  all  events  did  not  indicate  any  alarm.  It 
was  decided  that  the  major  and  the  Doctor  would  attend  to  the  old  bear, 
while  Fred  and  George  looked  after  the  cub.  "And  as  the  cub  will  stick 
by  his  parent,"  said  the  major,  "you  had  better  let  us  do  our  part  of  the 
work  first." 

Keeping  among  the  rocks  as  much  as  possible,  the  party  edged  in  the 


ARCTIC  GAME. 


129 


Ilk 

> 

i 

I 


9. 


in  tlie 


130 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


ft-ff 


direction  of  the  beare,  and  soon  had  them  at  short  range.  The  Doctor 
fired  lirst;  the  effect  of  his  shot  was  to  bring  the  old  bear  on  her  liannches, 
and  cause  her  to  look  aronnd  to  discover  tiie  source  of  the  attack ;  then 
the  major  put  in  a  bullet,  and  as  all  occasion  for  further  concealment  was 
over,  the  whole  party  rushed  forward,  the  two  hunters  taking  the  lead. 

Evidently  the  bear  was  severely  wounded,  but  not  enough  to  prevent 
her  turning  on  her  assailants  with  a  savage  roar.  The  major  told  the 
youths  to  fire,  and  they  did  so  without  hesitation ;  the  older  hands  added 
their  leaden  contribntion,  and  together  their  efforts  brought  the  bear  to 
the  ground. 

"  Now  go  forward  and  finish  the  work,"  said  the  major,  as  he  handed 
his  rifle  to  Fred.  "  Step  close  up  and  put  a  bullet  through  the  skull,  but 
be  ready  to  spring  out  of  her  way  in  case  she  rises  suddenly." 

Fred  obeyed  the  instructions,  and  the  bear  was  a  prize  to  the  hunters 
from  the  Vivian. 

The  cub  did  not  attempt  to  run  away,  but  stood  as  though  quite  dazed 
at  the  whole  business.  It  seemed  a  pity  to  shoot  the  innocent  little  fellow, 
and  George  proposed  that  he  should  be  captured,  and  canied  on  bouid 
the  ship.  Fred  seconded  the  suggestion,  but  the  major  and  Doctor  ex- 
plained to  the  youtiis  that  it  would  not  be  feasible  to  do  as  they  wished. 
"We  have  no  place  for  him,"  said  the  major;  "and  even  if  wo  had,  his 
presence  would  excite  our  dogs  so  that  their  fury  could  not  be  restrained. 
They  would  u3  more  difficult  than  ever  to  manage,  and  we  could  not  have 
even  the  semblance  of  peace  until  he  was  killed  and  devoured.  The  best 
way  out  of  the  perplexity  is  to  shoot  him  as  mercifully  as  possible,  and  we 
shall  doubtless  find  his  flesh  an  agreeable  addition  to  our  table  supplies." 

The  cub  was  promptly  despatched,  skinned,  dressed,  quartered,  and 
carried  to  the  boat,  and  the  skin  of  the  old  one  was  also  taken  along  as 
a  trophy.  While  the  work  was  going  on,  Dr.  Tonnei  told  the  youths  of 
an  incident  in  the  experience  of  the  author  of  "Seasons  with  the  Sea- 
horses," when  hunting  beai-s  in  Spitzbergen. 

This  gentleman  and  his  friend  one  day  saw  a  bear  and  two  cubs  on 
the  shore,  and  started  in  pursuit  of  them.  He  says  it  was  touching  to  see 
the  devotion  of  the  old  bear  to  her  young ;  she  could  have  escaped  with 
ease  had  it  not  been  for  the  cubs,  who  did  not  seem  to  realize  their  danger, 
and  needed  constant  assistance  to  get  over  the  rough  places  in  their  way. 

The  hunters  could  move  faster  than  the  cubs,  and  at  length  they  ovei-- 
took  the  group  and  succeeded  in  killing  the  old  bear.  When  they  came 
up  to  where  she  lay,  the  cubs  growled  viciously,  and  would  not  allow  them- 
selves to  be  touched  till  the  men  brought  lines  from  the  boat  and  lassoed 


niir 


TRACES  OF  PREVIOUS  VISITS. 


131 


tlie  little  fellows.  Tliey  were  tied  together,  like  dogs  in  a  leash ;  ou  find- 
ing themselves  fast  they  began  to  fight  vicionsly,  and  evidently  each  re- 
garded the  other  as  the  canse  of  his  misfortune.  It  was  no  small  task  to 
get  them  to  the  boat,  and  then  to  the  ship,  as  they  resisted  at  every  step 
and  used  their  teeth  freely.  A  cage  was  made  for  them,  and  they  fought 
against  entering  it;  they  embraced  every  opportunity  to  escape,  and  one 
day  one  of  them  got  out  of  his  cage  and  jumped  overboard.  A  boat  was 
lowered  for  his  recapture,  and  he  wounded  one  of  the  sailore  quite  severe- 
ly while  being  restored  to  his  old  cpiarters.  With  a  good  deal  of  trouble 
their  owners  brought  them  to  civilization,  and  deposited  them  in  a  public 
garden,  where  they  rece'ved  much  admiration. 

Birds  were  rumerous,  and  easy  of  approach;  evidentl}'  visitors  were 
rare  in  that  locality,  and  the  birds  liad  not  learned  to  beware  of  the  white 
man  and  his  means  of  destruction.  No  more  bears  were  in  sight,  and  it 
was  decided  to  bag  a  few  ducks  and  other  game-birds  for  the  table.  For 
this  purpose  the  shot-guns  of  Fred  and  George  were  better  adapted  than 
the  rifles  of  the  major  and  Doctor;  the  latter  suggested  that  the  youths 
would  have  a  good  time  for  practice  by  providing  the  birds  for  the  table, 
and  might  take  easy  lessons  where  the  prey  was  so  taine. 

Ducks  and  plover  were  the  principal  attractions,  and  our  friends  suc- 
ceeded so  well  that  in  less  than  an  hour  they  had  all  that  were  needed 
for  the  day.  The  two  sailors  acted  as  retrievei-s  to  bring  in  the  game,  and 
when  the'  p^arted  for  the  boat  with  the  proceeds  of  the  shooting  they  had 
all  they  wanted  to  carry.  The  ducks  proved  to  be  tender,  and  of  delicious 
fiavor,  and  evidently  had  not  changed  their  character  since  the  visit  of  the 
llodfjers.  The  Doctor  was  excellent  authority  on  birds,  and  after  dinner 
was  over  he  declared  that  the  plover  of  Wrangell  Island  surpassed  anything 
of  the  kind  he  had  ever  seen.  He  nun-mured  somethir  '  about  Taft's,  at 
Point  Shirley,  but  the  whole  of  his  remark  was  inaudible  to  the  rest  of 
the  i)artv. 

1  V 

AVhile  the  youths  were  busy  among  the  game-birds  the  elders  of  the 
shoro  pai'^y  occupied  themselves  with  searches  for  the  trace  of  previous 
visitors.  At  the  head  of  the  little  harbor  was  a  cairn  of  stones,  which 
they  reached  a  few  minutes  in  advance  of  one  of  the  FiOnch  officers,  who 
was  evidently  chagrined  that  the  Americans  were  ahead  of  him.  Keniov- 
ing  the  stones  of  the  cairn  one  by  one.  a  wooden  box  was  found,  and  in 
the  box  was  a  bottle  carefully  corked  and  sealed.  Inside  the  bottle  was 
a  roll  of  paper  which  proved  on  examination  to  be  the  record  of  the  visit 
of  the  Corwin  in  August,  1881,  and  of  the  Rodgers  a  month  later.  Bottle 
and  paper  were  taken  on  board  the  Vivian^  and  returned  the  next  day 


t 

5: 


% 

? 


132 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


to  the  cairn,  witli  a  recoixl  of  the  visit  of  that  ship  and  the  Gamhettn 
attached  to  tlie  original  paper. 

The  rocks  near  the  sea  were  covered  with  water-fowl,  and  eacli  report 
of  the  gnns   sent  linndreds  of  theui  flying  into   the   air.     The  youtlis 

wanted  to  shoot  some  of  them,  hut 
were  restrained  by  the  Doctor,  who 
said  they  were  of  no  nse  as  food,  and 
it  would  be  a  waste  of  ammunition 
to  kill   them.     There  were  several 
varieties    of    these    birds ;    among 
them  were  the  mollemoke,  and  the 
great   and   little   auk,  the   latter  a 
comical  looking  fellow  who  sat  n|)- 
right   on   the   shore,  and   held    his 
wings  as  though  they  were  intended 
for  hands.     The  auk  is  well  known 
to  all  arctic  travellers  in  the  regions 
of  GreenHnd  and  Spitzbergen ;  he 
lives  upon  lish,  and  his  diet  gives 
his  flesh  a  flavor  not  at  all  to  the 
taste  of  the  European. 

It  was  getting  late  in  the  after- 
noon, and  the  major  ordered  a  re- 
turn to  the  ship.     During  their  ab- 
sence the  ice  had  drifted  out  of  the 
bay,  so  that  they  had  an  easier  jour- 
ney than  when  coming  ashore;  the 
Fi'ench  boat  started  ba(!k  at  the  same  time,  and  they  had  a  fiiendly  race 
for  a  part  of  the  distance,  which  was  won  by  the  latter.      ,      - 

During  the  afternoon  the  lookout  espied  several  seals  on  the  rocks  a 
little  farther  down   the  bay,  and  a  boat  was  sent  in   pursuit  of  them. 
The  second  mate  of  the  Vivian  had  been  in  the  Greenland  seal-flshery, 
and  consequently  the  expedition  was  placed  in  his  charge;  he  carried  a 
couple  of  rifles,  but  his  chief  reliance  was  on  some  clubs,  which  he  pro- 
nounced far  more  effecti^'e.     "  You  must  kill  them  at  short  range,"  said 
he, "  and  when  you  come  to  close  quarters  the  club  is  a  better  weapon 
than  the  rifle.     You  don't  have  to  stop  to  put  in  fresh  cartridges  every 
minute,  and  besides,  when  you  hit  one  there's  no  report  to  frighten  the 
rest."      ...  .  .      .  > 

The  boat  reached  the  shore  in  such  a  position  as  to  cut  off  the  retreat 


THE    AUK   AT    HOME. 


HUNTING  THE  SEAL. 


133 


of  tlie  seals  to  the  water.  The  mate  sprang  on  shore,  followed  by  two 
of  the  sailors,  all  armed  with  clubs;  with  no  other  weapons  they  I'ushed 
among  the  seals,  and  in  a  short  time  a  dozen  or  more  iiad  been  killed.  A 
violent  blow  on  the  nose  is  fatal  to  the  seal,  but  it  is  not  easy  to  hit  him  in 
tiie  right  spot,  as  he  does  not  stand  still,  and  besides,  he  shows  fight  when 
in  close  quarters.  The  male  seal  is  particularly  fierce,  and  will  make  a 
stout  defence;  woe  be  to  the  assailant  who  slips  on  the  rocks  and  gives 
one  of  these  fellows  a  chance  for  a  bite  on  arm  or  leg.  lie  can  sever  an 
urni  at  a  single  movement  of  his  jaws,  and  can  break  the  bone  of  a  man's 
leg  without  much  effort. 

No  accident  happened  to  the  sealers,  and  they  returned  with  a  fidl  load 
of  meat  as  the  reward  of  their  exertions.  Not  only  was  the  boat  laden  as 
low  as  was  safe  to  fill  her,  but  several  of  the  seals  were  towed  astern,  and 
had  to  be  hoisted  in  with  a  tackle  at  the  end  of  one  of  the  spars.  The 
tiesh  of  the  seal  is  excellent  eating,  and  sailors  generally  prefer  it  to  beef. 


A    FIGHT    WITH    THK    SKALS, 


The  crew  were  liberally  provided  with  it,  and  so  were  the  dogs;  what 
with  young  bear,  ducks,  and  plover,  in  the  cabin  and  waidroom,  and  soal- 
nieat  in  the  forecastle,  there  was  no  scarcity  of  fresh  provisions  on  board 

9* 


II. 
»• 


mi 


134 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


the  Vivian.  The  Gcmihetta  had  followed  her  consort's  example  and  sent 
a  boat  among  the  seals,  bnt  evidently  her  men  were  not  skilful  in  the  pur- 
suit of  that  amphibious  gair.3,  as  they  secured  less  than  half  as  many  as 
the  other  boat. 

"As  fat  as  a  seal"  is  an  old  saying  in  the  eastern  States, and  certainly 
it  is  an  expressive  one.  The  seal  is  usually  in  excellent  condition,  and  at 
certain  seasons  of  the  year  contains  so  much  oil  that  he  is  a  valuable  ])rize 
to  his  captors.  The  seal-fisheries  of  Greenland  employ  great  numbers  of 
men,  principally  from  Newfoundland  and  Nova  Scotia,  and  also  from  Ice- 
land, Norway,  and  Denmark.  Some  of  the  s^als  are  taken  for  their  skins, 
but  the  main  purpose  of  capture  is  for  the  oil.  We  have  already  heard  of 
the  fur  seal  of  the  north-west  coast  of  America,  who  is  quite  different 
from  his  cousin  of  Greenland,  and  far  more  valuable.  Fur  seals  abound 
in  only  a  few  localities  on  the  surface  of  the  globe,  and  if  they  were  not 
prottiited  by  stringent  laws  they  would  soon  disappear. 

During  the  evening  Commander  Bronson  went  on  board  the  Gambetta 
for  a  conference  with  Captain  Girard.  It  was  decided  to  remain  a  day  or 
two  longer  at  Wrangell  Island,  to  lay  in  a  plentiful  store  of  food  for  the 
dogs,  and  to  make  observations  that  might  be  of  advantage  to  themselves 
or  future  navigators.  A  boat  was  to  go  from  each  ship  in  ])ursuit  of  seals 
and  walruses;  as  the  Viviati's  mate  was  an  experienced  hunter  after  this 
game,  he  was  placed  in  command  of  the  joint  expedition,  and  while  he 
and  his  crew  attended  to  securing  the  prizes,  the  Frenchmen  were  to  look 
after  the  transportation.  Then  each  ship  was  to  send  out  an  exploring 
party,  the  Frenchmen  going  to  the  north,  while  the  Americans  took  a 
southei'ly  course. 

Fi-ed  went  with  the  sealers,  while  George  was  with  the  exploring  party. 
The  former  were  off  before  six  in  the  morning,  and  within  two  hours  they 
had  killed  nearly  thirty  seals.  While  waiting  for  the  French  sailors  to  re- 
move the  game  to  the  shore,  and  thence  to  the  ships,  they  espied  some  wal 
ruses  on  the  ice,  beyond  a  poiiit  of  land  which  formed  me  side  of  the  ba\, 
and  away  they  went  in  chase.  They  were  screened  from  the  view  of  their 
game  by  the  intervening  point  of  land,  and  managed  to  get  quite  close  to 
the  ice  without  being  perceived. 

"  We'll  shoot  one,  and  perhaps  two  of  them,"  said  the  mate,  "  and  then 
we'll  take  to  the  harpoons." 

Fred  asked  why  they  did  not  rely  altogether  on  shooting,  as  it  ouglit 
to  be  quicker  work  than  with  the  harpoon.  The  mate  explained  that  the 
vulnerable  part  of  a  walrus  is  about  the  size  of  an  orange,  and  unless  yon 
hit  him  on  that  spot  your  shot  goes  for  nothing.     "  We  may  be  able  to  get 


ARCTIC  SrOKT. 


135 


5 
I- 


'S 


a, 
I 


> 

»• 


Miii 


i 

[1 


136 


THE   VOYAGE   OE  THE   "VIVIAN." 


'II  '{ 


:2i 
p.: 


i  iinS 
Ik: 

IS 


I:' 


2  '     f', 


one  or  two  of  tlicin  in  that  way  before  they  take  alarm,"  said  he,  "hr.t 
after  that  it's  hard  work  to  liit  'oin.  Yoifll  know  more  about  wah'iis  hinit- 
ing  an  hour  from  now,  and  tiien  you'll  see  the  i-eason  of  our  relying  on  the 
harpoon." 

Fred  was  willing  to  wait  and  be  instructed.  Tiiey  reached  the  edi^e 
of  the  ilea  where  half  a  d.-zen  walruses  were  taking  the  sun,  and  all  un- 
conscious of  the  impending  danger.  The  side  of  the  floe  was  about  Ave 
feet  above  the  water,  and  so  the  boat  and  its  occupants  were  quite  ei  of 
sight  as  they  livy  along-side. 

With  a  repeating  rifle  in  his  hand,  the  mate  stood  up  in  the  bow  of  the 
boat,  while  the  men  held  it  as  steady  as  they  could  with  ilio  ice-hooks 
against  the  floe.  One,  two,  three  shots  were  flred  almost  as  qnickly  as 
you  could  count,  and  each  bullet  went  crashing  into  the  skull  of  a  walrus. 

Then  the  rifle  was  passed  back  to  one  of  the  men,  and  the  mate  seized 
the  harpoon.  As  he  did  so,  the  frightened  animals  that  had  not  been 
touched  by  the  bullets  went  sliding  from  the  floe  into  the  water. 

To  the  sui'prise  of  Fred,  the  mate  threw  the  harpoon  into  the  smallest 
of  the  herd,  a  little  fellow  less  than  half  the  size  of  any  of  the  others. 
lie  began  to  cry  immediately,  and  then  his  motlier  came  to  his  relief,  and 
with  her  several  others.  They  showed  their  tusks,  and  threatened  to  at- 
tack the  boat;  four  of  them  were  killed,  and  then  the  cub  was  slaugh- 
tered, and  as  soon  as  he  ceased  crying  the  rest  went  away.  The  mate 
said  the  walrus  hunters  always  did  this  when  they  had  the  opportunity, 
as  the  n  4her  will  stay  by  her  yoimg,  and  the  rest  will  come  to  assist  her 
to  defend  it.  At  such  times  the  walruses  are  very  fierce,  and  they  have 
been  known  to  attack  and  sink  a  boat;  they  come  along-side  and  hook  their 
tusks  over  the  gunwales,  and  when  they  get  a  good  hold  something  must  go. 

Fred  tlmnght  that  seven  walruses  were  enough  for  a  day's  catch,  but 
the  mate  said  they  must  make  it  eight,  in  order  to  have  no  trouble  about 
division  between  the  ships.  They  waited  near  the  i"e-floe  for  some  time, 
and  finally  a  walrus  came  to  the  surface  close  to  the  boat;  the  mate  threw 
a  harpoon  and  caught  him,  and  in  a  little  while  he  was  finished  with  the 
lance.  Then  signal  was  made  to  the  ship  to  send  another  boat,  and  mean- 
time they  I  rarted  off  with  two  of  tha  prizes  in  tow.  Slow  progress  was 
made,  and  before  they  rounded  the  point  they  met  the  boat  from  the 
Vivian,  and  also  one  from  the  Gainhetta.  All  the  game  of  the  morning 
was  brought  in  before  nightfall,  and  Fred  was  congratulated  on  the  part 
he  had  borne  in  the  affair.  He  declared  he  had  only  been  a  spectator,  to 
which  Commander  Bronson  replied  that  a  good  spectator  was  not  always 
easy  to  find. 


INLAND  EXI'LORATIONS. 


137 


The  land  party  had  a  more  wciarlsoino  journey  than  did  the  Heal  and 
-widrus  hunters,  with  less  excitement  to  sustain  tluMii.  (feorj^o  was  amhi- 
tious  to  [tlant  the  American  tla^  hi«;her  than  the  French  1  '  piiKied  the 
tricolor  the  day  before,  and  couscfinently  fixed  his  eye  on  *■  'liil  about  a 
thousand  feet  high,  at  least  a  couple  of  miles  back  fron  .e  head  of  the 
l)ay.  lie  carried  ashore  a  small  Hag,  with  its  staff,  and  str.  'ed  as  soon  as 
tliey  were  landed  for  the  hill  iu  question,  accompanied  by  one  of  the  sail- 
ors. The  French  boat  was  close  be- 
hind them,  and  as  the  sailor  was  a 
better  climber  than  George,  he  I'an 
ahead  and  planted  the  flag  at  the 
top  of  the  hill  before  the  French 
men  had  reached  its  base.  The  fit- 
ter stopped,  and  gave  three  cheers 
for  the  Americans,  who  luid  got 
uhead  of  them,  and  then  made  for 
another  hill  farther  inland. 

There  was  not  much  to  be  seen 
on  the  hill,  as  the  country  was  desti- 
tute of  vegetation  save  a  few  patch- 
es of  moss,  and  now  and  then  some 
tiny  shrubs  that  evidently  had  a 
hard  struggle  for  existence.   George 

found  an  enormous  bone,  which  Dr.  Tonner  pronounced  to  be  the  bone 
of  a  mammoth;  other  bones  were  found  in  the  vicinity,  and  they  looked 
around  for  the  tusk  of  the  animal.  No  tusk  could  be  found,  and  they 
concluded  it  had  fallen  to  the  possession  of  some  previous  visitor. 

Later  in  the  day  the  tusk  of  a  mammoth  was  discovered,  and  it  was 
so  lai-ge  that  two  men  found  it  a  heavy  burden.  They  were  pf'tit  to  the 
boat  to  bring  an  oai',  and  some  cords  for  lashing  it,  but  near  the  land- 
ing they  found  a  L-ieuder  pole,  which  seemed  better  for  the  purpose,  and 
it  M'as  taken  along.  The  pole  had  drifted  across  the  Arctic  Ocean ; 
whether  it  grew  on  the  banks  of  an  American  or  a  Siberian  river  nobody 
could  tell,  but  in  either  case  the  forest  of  its  origin  wps  n.any  hundreds 
of  miles  away.  The  tusk  when  weighed  on  shipboard  was  found  to  tip 
the  beam  at  a  hundred  and  fifteen  pounds,  and  it  was  aftei'wards  ascer- 
tained that  the  people  from  the  Gambetta  had  found  a  tusk  weighing  a 
hundred  and  six  pounds.     America  w'as  therefore  nine  pounds  ahead ! 

The  incident  naturally  led  to  a  conversation  of  which  the  mammoth 
was  the  chief  topic.     Dj-.  Tonner  said  so  mai'y  mammoths'  tusks  had  been 


HOISTlNif   T»K    FLAG. 


u 

'% 

I 


t: 


h  A) 


138 


H'i'- 


•r> 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   '  VIVIAN." 

I 


THE   8IBEKIAN    MAMMOTH. 


found  in  Sibei'ia  that  the}'  had  become  a  regnlar  r.rticlG  of  commerce  for 
more  than  a  century,  though  in  recent  years  the  number  liad  somewhat 
diminished. 

"The  scientific  name  of  the  animal,"  said  he,  "  is  Elej^has  jyrimigenius, 
and  he  was  in  !iis  time  tl'  •  elephant  of  the  period.  lie  was  somewhat 
larger  than  the  elephant  of  to-day,  but  not  mnch ;  his  body  was  heavier 
and  clumsier,  and  covered  with  liair  that  enabled  him  to  live  in  a  colder 
climate  than  the  natural  home  of  the  elephant  we  are  familiar  with." 

Fred  asked  if  anv  livinj;  mammoth  had  been  known  in  modern  times. 

"No,"  was  the  reply;  "but  as  the  bones  have  been  fonnd  with  nmrks 
upon  them,  it  is  conjectured  that  they  lived  with  man  du.fing  the  Stone 
Age.  The  climate  of  Siberia  was  evidently  warmer  than  it  is  now,  prob- 
ably like  that  of  New  Yor':  or  Pennsylvania,  and  the  mammoth  found 
plenty  of  food  to  eat.  lie  had  three  kinds  of  hair:  one  long  and  coarse, 
a  second  of  finer  quality,  and  a  third  like  wool.  Tlie  first  was  like  horse- 
hair, and  ineasnv'd  twelve  or  fifteen  inches ;  the  second  resembled  the 
hair  of  a  deer,  and  wfts  nine  or  ten  inches  long ;  and  the  third  was  woolly, 
and  four  or  five  inches  thick.  So  you  see  he  could  stand  the  cold  a  great 
deal  better  than  the  modern  elephant,  which  has  to  be  housed  in  the  win- 
ter of  our  northern  climate. 

"  You  may  wonder  how  we  know  all  this.     In  the  year  1799  a  Tungn- 


THE  AGE  OF  THE  MAMMOTH. 


139 


siiiii  fisherman  diacovered  a  inammotli  frozen  into  a  bank  of  earth  near 
the  river  J^ena.  lie  kept  tlie  diseo  'M*y  to  himself,  and  after  a  time  re- 
moved the  tuHks  and  sold  thenj ;  the  wolves,  heara,  ami  foxes  fed  npon  the 
tk'Kh  of  the  dead  aninjal  which  had  been  so  wonderfully  preserved,  and 
when  the  spot  was  visited  in  1805  by  Adams,  an  Kni^lish  naturalist,  not 
oven  the  whole  skeleton  remained.  One  fore-leg  had  dis^appeared,  and  a 
few  of  the  other  bonos  were  gone,  but  the  brains  were  in  the  skidl  and 
the  eyes  in  their  sockets.  A  good  deal  of  the  skin  and  hair  was  fomid  ; 
as  much  as  possible  was  gathered  and  taken  to  St.  Petersburg,  wheie  the 
skeleton  now  is. 

"  Elephant  remains  are  found  in  America,  where  the  extinct  animal  is 
called  the  mastodon.  They  have  also  been  discovered  in  England  and  all 
over  Europe, especially  in  Germany,  and  the  evidence  is  very  conclusive  that 
this  animal  had  the  range  ol'  a  large  part  of  the  globe  ages  and  ages  ago." 

"  But  how  did  that  one  get  frozen  into  the  bank  where  the  lisherinan 
found  him?"  one  of  the  youths  inquired. 

"  Probably  in  the  grand  cataclysm  we  were  talking  about  some  time 
ago,"  replied  the  Doctor.  "  The  earth  cooled  suddenly,  or  rather  this  pait 
of  it  did,  and  the  mammoth  was  caught  in  the  congelation  in  the  same 
way  that  fishes  are  sometimes  found  frozen  in  the  ice  of  rivers.  There 
was  this  difference,  though,  that  the  fishes  are  frozen  in  their  natural  habi- 
tation, while  the  mammoth  was  doubtless  drowned  by  the  upheaval  of  the 
watei-s,  and  then  covered  with  the  drift  of  eartii,  where  he  lay  for  thou- 
sands of  years  until  brought  to  light  in  the  way  I  have  described." 


to 

s 


THE    MAMMOTH   UESTORKD. 


140 


THE  VOYA(iE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


..'C 


m^ 


CIIAPTEll    X. 

HERALD   ISLAND.— CAl'CillT   1\   TIIH  ICE.— A   NARROW  ESCAI'R. 

IT  wns  not  duetned  jvdvisiihle  to  devote  any  time  to  tlic  exploration  of 
the  eoast  of  Wrangell  Island,  nor  to  make  lon<:i;  excursions  into  the  in- 
terior, as  that  work  had  already  been  perfoiined  by  the  officers  of  the 
Itodgevs  in  1881.  So,  on  the  third  day  after  their  arrival,  the  two  bliips 
left  the  bay  where  they  had  been  anchored,  and  headed  for  Herald  Island 
as  directly  as  the  drifting  ice  would  permit. 

The  visit  of  the  Ilodgers  demonstrated  that  Wrangell  was  not  a  con- 
tinent but  an  island,  and  contained  two  ranges  of  mountains  whoso  highest 
peaks  were  less  than  three  thousand  feet  high.     One  of  these  ranges  lies 

along  the  southern  coast,  and 
the  other  near  the  centre  of  the 
island,  from  east  to  west;  nortli 
of  the  backbone,  or  central 
range,  there  is  a  rolling  land, 
with  occasional  detached  peaks, 
and  along  the  entire  coast  line 
there  are  numei'ous  sand-bars 
w'hich  render  navigation  both 
difficult  and  dangerous.  As 
befoi'e  stated,  there  is  very 
little  vegetation,  and  the  an- 
imal life  is  confined  to  polar 
bears,  seals,  walruses,  and  numerous  water-fowl. 

Before  they  lost  sight  of  Wrangell  Island  our  friends  had  Herald 
Island  in  full  view,  so  that  there  was  no  necessity  of  an  observation  ex- 
cept for  verifying  or  correcting  the  figures  of  previous  navigators.  Near 
tne  coast  of  Herald  Island  they  met  a  whaling  ship,  and  sent  a  boat  on 
board ;  it  returned  shortly,  with  the  announcement  that  the  whaler  had 
been  successful  and  was  nearly  full  of  oil;  one  whale  more  would  com- 
plete the  cargo,  and  then  she  would  steer  for  San  Francisco.     This  an- 


EXPLOIUNG   THE   COAST. 


Hti-a  i'  i: 


»:i-r 


LANDING  ON   IIKUALD   IHI.ANI). 


141 


nniniccment  led  to  a  Imsty  co!in»l('tli»u  of  lettoi's  ftiid  dcsimtclM*!',  wliidi 
wero  et'iilc'd  in  ti  !m<;  and  (k'spiitclied  to  Aiiiciicu.  Tlio  (iiuahittn  also 
Hciit  a  I'ftjj;  of  UittiMv,  and  as  wtun  as  tliev  were  t)n  Itoard,  tlio  whaler  tilled 
away  and  steered  to  the  southward.  Her  eaptain  was  eontident  that  in 
a  few  days  his  (■ai'<:jo  would  he  <!oin|»lete,  and  ho  hoped  boom  to  bo  out  ot 
the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  lieaded  for  homo. 


. 


ON  SHORK  IN  THB  FAR  NORTH. 


The  approach  to  Herald  Island  was  rendered  difficult  by  masses  of 
lloatiug  ice,  and  also  by  a  reef  which  extended  al)out  two  miles  from  its 
south-western  extremity.  There  was  no  sign  of  a  harbor,  ami  so  the  ships 
lay-to  off  the  shore,  while  each  sent  a  boat  inside  the  reef,  where  a  small 
strip  of  beach  afforded  a  convenient  landing-place.  The  party  from  the 
Vivian  included  the  Doctor  and  the  major,  together  with  George  and 
Fred;  they  got  off  a  little  ahead  of  the  GanihetUCs  boat,  and  by  energetic 
pulling  were  tlie  first  on  shore.  The  major  and  George  cliiid)ed  to  the 
top  of  the  island,  while  the  Doctor  and  Fred  busied  themselves  with  the 
inspection  of  the  beach. 

The  climbers  did  not  have  an  easy  time  of  it,  as  the  rock  was  loose,  and 
liable  to  break  off  at  any  moment,  while  the  sides  of  the  ascent  were  very 
btec\  George  said  they  made  the  most  of  their  upward  journey  "  coon- 
fashioi.  "  and  the  return  "sled-fashion."  They  had  to  go  up  on  hands  and 
feet,  clin»|,'Mg  to  the  projections  and  running  the  risk  of  a  tumble;  they 


I 


I 


II 


142 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


IE:'  -t 


came  down  the  same  way  to  where  the  broken  shale  lay  piled  np,  like  tlio 
cinders  on  Monnt  Vesuvius.  On  this  they  sat  dowji  and  coasted,  to  tlio 
detriment  of  their  garments,  especially  as  they  acqniied  a  rapid  rate  of 
progress  before  reaching  tlie  beach.  The  major  estimated  the  central 
elevation  at  about  six  hundred  feet,  and  said  the  whole  island  was  visible 
from  it.  He  described  the  island  as  a  ridge  about  six  miles  long  and 
less  than  half  a  mile  wide,  without  a  harbor  where  ships  could  anchor. 
Wrangell  Island  was  visible,  but  no  other  land  could  be  seen  in  anv 
direction. 

The  beach  party  did  not  fatigue  themselves  with  climbing,  but  were 
by  no  means  idle.  They  found  drift-wood  abundant,  and  j^roceeded  to 
light  a  fire,  and  then  they  looked  about  for  records  of  previous  visits. 
None  were  discovered,  although  it  is  certain  that  several  ships  had  touched 
there  at  different  times,  A  cairn  of  stones  was  foimd  at  the  western 
extremity  of  the  island,  but  it  had  evidently  been  despoiled,  as  it  contained 
nothing  to  reveal  its  origin,  and  there  was  no  mark  on  the  rocks  in  the 
neighborhood.  They  looked  for  the  plank  erected  by  the  liodgers,  but  it 
had  disappeared.  Assisted  by  the  men  from  the  Gamhetta,  our  fjiends 
erected  a  cairn  in  which  they  placed  a  bottle  containing  a  record  of  the 
visit,  and  to  make  sure  that  it  should  be  seen,  a  cross  formed  of  two  pieces 
of  drift-wood  was  placed  above  it.  No  bears  or  other  quadrupeds  were 
visible,  but  there  was  an  abundance  of  water-fowl  similar  to  those  on 
Wrangell  Island.  The  rifles  were  of  little  use,  but  there  was  abundant 
occupation  for  the  shot-guns  in  killing  ducks  and  plover  for  the  cabin 
table.  Dr.  Tonner  killed  a  duck  which  he  pronounced  an  eider,  the  pro- 
ducer of  the  down  famous  the  world  over  for  its  usefulness  in  fillins: 
quilts.  Whether  the  duck  belonged  on  the  island  or  was  only  there  by 
accident  no  one  could  tell. 

The  best  part  of  tlie  day  was  speiit  in  the  visit  to  Herald  Island,  and 
when  the  boats  returned  to  the  ship  the  travellers,  were  weary  and  hungry. 
Major  Clapp  reported  ice  to  the  north  of  Herald  Island  as  the  result  of 
hi.  observation  from  the  summit,  but  said  it  did  not  appear  to  be  very 
thick.  While  the  boats  were  on  shore,  the  two  commanders  had  met  in 
the  cabin  of  the  Gamhetta^  and  decided  to  steer  to  the  north-east,  unless 
pre\  ented  by  circumstances  then  unforeseen.  When  the  boats  were  hoisted 
in,  the  ships  filled  their  sails  with  the  southerly  breeze  and  steered  as 
agreed  upon. 

They  were  now  in  the  domains  of  the  midnight  sun,  and  it  was  not 
always  easy  to  keep  the  time;  as  Fred  expressed  it, "you  couldn't  say 
whether  it  was  to-day  or  to-morrow."    The  sun  did  not  go  below  the 


THE  FAR  NORTH  IN  SUMMER. 


143 


,   I      1    > 
m 


UNDER  THE   MIDMGHT  SUN, 


144 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


i 


m 


horizon  at  midnight,  though  it  just  touched  it,  and  the  assertion  that  tlio 
sun  rises  in  the  east  and  sets  in  the  west  had  lost  its  correctness.  The  uses 
of  a  clock  on  which  the  hours  are  marked  from  one  to  twenty-four  became 
apparent,  and  Fied  and  George  adopted  the  plan  of  dividing  the  day  in 


NEAR  THE  ICE-PACK. 


that  way.  "Eighteen  o'clock "  served  to  indicate  six  in  the  afternoon, 
and  " twentj'-three  o'clock"  meant  eleven  at  night.  It  was  rather  trying 
to  go  to  bed  in  broad  daylight,  but  they  soon  got  used  to  it.  Fred  said  he 
couldn't  think  of  staying  awake  for  three  months,  and  then  sleeping  for 
the  same  length  of  time,  find  so  he  accepted  the  situation  without  a  single 
break. 

As  they  sailed  away  from  Herald  Island,  Avith  the  prow  of  the  Vivian 
in  the  direction  of  the  pole.  Commander  Bronson  recalled  tlie  fate  of  the 
Jeannette. 

"  We  are  now,"  said  he, " almost  at  the  point  wheie  the  Jeannette  was 
beset  in  the  ice  on  the  6th  of  September,  1870.  She  never  escaped  fi-oni 
it  until  she  sank  to  the  depths  of  tiie  Arctic  Ocean,  nearly  two  years  later, 
and  left  her  crew  to  the  perils  of  a  journey  over  ice  atid  open  water  to  tlu; 
shores  of  Siberia." 

"  Yes,"  responded  the  Doctor, "  and  who  can  tell  how  soon  we  shall  bo 
enclosed  in  the  icy  walls,  and  compelled  to  drift  wherever  the  currents  may 
take  us  ?" 

"  There  was  one  remarkable  feature  of  the  drift  of  the  Jeannette^''  said 
the  major.  "It  was  not  on  a  reasonably  direct  line,  as  though  driven  by  a 
steady  current,  like  what  we  find  on  the  coast  of  Greenland.  The  Jean- 
nette seemed  to  moye  as  though  propelled  by  shifting  currents,  and  her 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  "JEANNETTE." 


145 


track  was  very  irregular.  On  the  published  chart  it  is  in  the  form  of  zig- 
zags, and  crosses  itself  repeatedly.  Tiiis  was  the  case  soon  after  she  was 
frozen  in  near  Herald  Island;  slie  drifted  north,  then  east,  and  then  south- 
west, and  then  to  the  westward.  On  the  3d  of  November,  18S0,  she  was 
in  almost  exactly  the  same  position  as  on  the  26th  of  the  previous  April, 
l)iit  in  the  mean  time  she  had  drifted,  or  rather  had  been  borne  by  the  ice 
to  every  point  of  the  compass,  and  her  wanderings  covered  fully  ten  de- 
grees of  longitude." 

"What  was  the  rate  of  the  drift?"  one  of  the  listeners  inquired. 

"It  varied  considerably,"  was  the  reply.  "Some  days  it  was  as  high 
as  twenty  miles  or  more,  and  at  other  times  not  more  than  half  a  mile. 
Occasionally  the  ship  was  almost  stationary  for  days  together;  this  hap- 
pened in  the  coldest  weather,  and  showed  that  at  such  times  there  was  very 
little  current. 


Hi 


■  LOiSI\S  QARRin. 
CABIN   SCENE   IN    AN    ARCTIC   WINTER. 


IS 


"  Captain  De  Long  was  of  the  opinion,"  the  major  continued,  "  that 
oven  the  lightest  winds  caused  a  movement  of  the  ice,  except  when  it  was 
of  great  thickness.  We  shall  probably  have  occasion  to  make  practical 
observations  on  this  point  before  many  days;  we'll  drop  the  subject  now, 
and  follow  the  Jeannette  in  her  monotonous  career  after  she  was  er  jlosed 
in  the  ice.  •  •  .  • 

10 


I    is 


146 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


"  From  the  time  she  was  frozen  in,  the  life  on  shipboard  was  full  of 
dreariness.  For  more  than  a  jcar  she  moved  in  the  zigzags  I  have  de- 
scribed to  the  north  of  Herald  and  Wrangell  Islands,  and  then  drifted 
slowly  to  the  westward.  Sometimes  the  ice  broke,  and  promised  to  set 
them  free ;  when  the  liopes  of  Captain  De  Long  and  his  companions  were 
thus  raised  tlie  ice  closed  again,  and  escape  was  as  far  off  as  ever.  As  the 
winter  came  on,  the  cold  increased  and  the  ice  thickened.     Terrible  gales 


EDGE  OF  THE   ICE-PACK. 


swept  over  the  surface  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  caused  a  continual  grind- 
ing and  crushing  of  the  great  floes,  which  threatened  the  instant  destruc- 
tion of  the  ship. 

"The  captain  in  Ms  journal  gives  a  vivid  description  of  the  noise 
caused  by  these  movements  of  the  ice.  There  were  loud  crashes  as  the 
floes  broke  against  each  other,  mingled  with  the  peculiar  grinding  sounds 
of  the  attrition  of  the  smaller  pieces,  and  the  roar  of  the  wind  as  it  im- 
pinged on  the  roughened  surface.  Frequently  they  were  called  from  their 
beds  at  night,  in  momentary  expectation  that  the  ship  would  be  crushed, 
and  for  months  and  months  together  everything  was  kept  in  readiness  for 
sudden  departure.  The  sledges  and  boats  were  on  the  ice  near  the  ship^ 
where  the  floes  seemed  to  promise  the  greatest  security.  The  dogs  were 
quartered  there,  though  they  came  aboard  the  ship  whenever  they  liked, 
and  quantities  of  provisions  were  stored  near  the  boats  or  on  the  sledges. 

"  The  first  serious  alarm  occurred  on  the  19th  of  January,  1880,  an 


ft?!'- 


WINTERING  IN  THE  ICE. 


141 


liour  or  so  past  midnight.  The  captain  was  seated  in  his  room,"  when  he 
heard  a  sound  as  though  souie  of  the  sliip's  timbers  were  cracl;ing;  he  ran 
out  and  found  there  was  no  movement  of  the  ice,  and  after  looking  around 
and  discovering  no  cause  for  tlie  sound,  lie  went  to  bed  under  tl»e  impres- 
sion that  nothing  more  had  happened  than  a  bolt  drawn  by  the  extreme 
cold.  About  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  wind  suddenly  shifted 
from  north  to  north- weiit,  and  the  ice  began  to  move ;  it  came  witii  tre- 
mendous force  against  the  bow,  and  piled  up  largo  masses  in  front  of  the 
siiip ;  but  as  that  was  the  strongest  part  of  the  Jeannette,  it  was  thought 
she  could  stand  the  strain  without  injury. 

"  But  when  the  men  went  below  to  serve  out  coal  for  the  day's  nse, 
tliey  found  a  stream  pouring  in  throufjh  a  crack  in  tlie  fore-foot;  there 
were  three  feet  of  water  in  the  fore-hold,  and  a  corresponding  amount  in 
the  store-room  and  fire-room.  All  the  crew  was  called,  and  while  some 
workod  at  the  pumps  the  rest  removed  the  stores  from  the  part  of  the  ship 
that  was  most  seriously  threatened. 

"  From  tliat  day  until  she  disappeared  beneath  the  watere  the  Jeannette 
was  constantly  leaking,  and  it  required  the  steady  attention  and  exertion 
of  her  crew  to  keep  her  afloat.  The  supply  of  coal  was  exhausted  in  work- 
ing the  steam-pumps,  so  that  if  the  ship  had  been  released  from  the  ice  she 
would  have  been  com- 
pelled to  work  under  sail 
alone.  After  this  inci- 
dent orders  were  given  to 
have  the  sledges  packed 
ready  for  instant  depart- 
ure, and  duritig  the  galea 
everybody  lay  down  to 
rest  with  his  knapsack  on 
his  back  or  by  his  side. 
Captain  De  Long  de- 
scribed their  situation 
*  like  living  over  a  pow- 
der magazine,  with  a  train  laid  for  instant  firing.'  The  excitement  grow- 
ing out  of  their  constant  peril,  varied  with  occasional  hunts  after  beai"s 
and  walruses,  were  the  only  variations  to  the  monotony  of  their  existence, 
and  everybody  suffered  from  the  enforced  inactivity.  •     ' 

"Of  course  they  hoped  to  be  released  during  the  summer  of.  1880,  and 
have  an  opportimity  to  add  to  the  discoveries  of  previous  explorers.  But 
the  Ice-king  did  not  relent,  and  they  remained  in  their  prison  until  winter 


ICE   IN   MOTION. 


p 

r 

I  \  w 


tH 


148 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


m  a 


I!;* 


\H 


catne  agjiiii.  Then  followed  the  loiicj  darkness,  then  tlie  arctic  spring  and 
snininei',  with  the  snn  at  midnight,  and  it  was  in  this  second  period  of  con- 
tinnons  day  that  the  great  eahiniity  occnrred  to  t\\e  Jeannette. 

"The  iee  opened,  and  for  some  time  the  ship  was  afloat;  then  it  closed 
again,  crnshing  her  sides  as  though  they  iiad  been  of  pasteboard,  but  hoh'- 
ing  her  firmly  in  their  grasp.  She  remained  afloat,  nearly  twelve  hours,  su 
that  there  was  time  for  everybody  to  escape  to  the  ice,  with  a  fairly  good 
stock  of  provisions.  Then  followed  the  preparations  for  the  joui'ney  to  tliu 
Siberian  coast,  and  seven  days  after  the  sinking  of  the  ship  the  inarch  be- 
gan to  the  southward. 

"The  boats  were  on  sledges  drawn  by  the  men  and  dogs,  and  there  was 
a  stock  of  provisions  sufficient  for  reaching  the  Siberian  coast.  The  jour- 
ney occupied  more  than  three  months,  including  a  rest  of  eight  days  on 
Bennett  Island,  Mhere  the  sledges  were  abandoned  and  the  boats  launched 
in  the  water,  which  had  become  sufiiciently  open  for  navigation. 

"  The  party  landed  on  one  of  the  islands  of  the  New  Siberia  group,  and 
afterwards  on  Semenovski  Island.  The}'  were  separated  by  a  gale  on  the 
12th  of  September,  and  one  of  the  boats,  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Chipp,  was  never  heard  from.  Another,  commanded  by  Engineer  Mel- 
ville, reached  the  coast  safely,  and  her  party  soon  fell  in  with  the  natives 
and  were  saved  from  starvation.  The  other  boat,  in  which  were  Command- 
er De  Long  and  thirteen  others,  was  less  fortunate  than  that  of  the  en- 
gineer; it  reached  one  of  the  mouths  of  the  Lena,  which  it  ascended  as  far 
as  the  ice  would  permit,  and  there  the  crew  went  on  shore.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  abandon  many  things  on  leaving  the  boat;  when  they  reached  the 
land  the  stock  of  provisions  was  very  small,  and  there  was  but  a  limited 
amount  of  clothing  for  the  weary  aiid  frost-bitten  men.  Two  sailors,  Xin- 
dermami  and  Xoros,  wei-e  sent  away  to  procure  help,  and  when  nearly  dead 
with  fatiffue  and  starvation  fell  in  with  some  wanderin<j;  natives.  Thev 
could  not  induce  these  people  to  go  with  them  to  relieve  the  shipwrecked 
crew,  and  so  all  of  their  party  that  had  been  left  behind  died  of  hunger 
and  cold  on  the  banks  of  the  Lena.  The  two  sailors  were  taken  to  a  Rus- 
sian village,  where  they  met  Mr.  Melville,  their  old  officer;  he  did  every- 
thing in  his  power  for  the  rescue  of  De  Long  and  his  companions,  but  all 
in  vain.  The  records  which  were  afterwards  found  by  the  side  of  De  Long 
at  the  spot  where  he  died  showed  that  before  Melville  started  on  his  search 
the  whole  party  had  perished. 

"In  the  following  spring  an  expedition  was  sent  to  the  month  of  the 
Lena  to  find  the  last  camp  of  the  explorers,  and  secure  the  records  o'i.  the 
voyage  of  the  Jeannette.     All  the  papers  were  found  and  preserved,  the 


A  NARROW  ESCAPE. 


141) 


-y. 


ft 


M 


150 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


iff'      I''  .) 


■mn 


ii'l 


■1'  \h% 


y  m 


bodies  were  buried,  and  a  inonnment  was  erected  over  their  grave.  Quo 
by  one  the  survivors  returned  to  the  LTnited  States;  and  iinally,  in  the 
early  ])art  of  1S84,  tlio  bodies  of  Do  Long  and  those  who  died  with  liini 
Avero  brought  home  for  bin-ial  in  their  native  hmd.  The  stoiy  of  the  Jian- 
iiette  is  one  of  the  most  pathetic  that  has  been  given  to  us  in  the  annals  of 
arctic  exploration," 

As  the  major  ended  his  account  of  the  adventures  of  Do  Long  and 
his  companions,  there  was  not  a  dry  eye  among  liis  group  of  listeners. 
Not  a  worc^  was  spoken,  but  silently,  one  by  one,  tliey  sought  the  deck, 
and  did  not  reven  '■'1  the  subject  of  the  conversation. 

"The  ice  is  growing  thicker  in  the  nortli,"  said  the  Doctor,  as  he 
waved  his  hand  in  the  direction  indicated.  "The  wind  seems  to  be  press- 
ing the  Hoes  together,  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  the  pack  closes  in 
upon  ue  before  another  twenty  hours." 

Hour  by  hour  the  ice  became  moi'e  abund  it,  and  the  Doctoi''s  predic- 
t  on  was  verified.  AVithin  twenty  hours  from  the  time  he  made  it,  they 
were  surrounded  by  drifting  ice,  so  closely  that  it  w:i^  practically  turned 
into  a  pack.  Here  and  there  lanes  of  Avater  were  open,  and  the  sliips 
pressed  through  them  to  make  as  much  northing  as  possibhi  before  their 
progress  was  arrested.  The  lanes  nari'owed,  and  finally  disappeared  alto- 
gether, and  the  ships  were  enclosed  where  both  sails  and  steam  were  pow- 
erless. It  was  not  deemed  advisable  to  light  tho  fires  and  use  the  engines 
until  there  should  be  a  pros[)ect  of  reaching  open  water  by  so  doing. 

Where  the  ice  came  from  that  closed  in  behind  them  after  their  prog- 
ress was  arrested  nobody  could  tell.  In  ten  hours  from  the  time  they 
stopped,  the  entire  horizon  to  the  south  had  changed  from  water  to  ice, 
with  an  ajipearance  of  solidity  which  was  anything  but  encouraging. 
The  wind  was  variable,  as  it  shifted  from  south  to  east,  then  to  south- 
Avest,  and  afterwards  to  south-east,  all  witliin  a  few  houi"s;  the  change 
of  wind  caused  an  irregular  motion  to  the  ice-fields,  and  the  crashing  and 
jjrindins:  of  the  floes  and  cakes  was  continuous. 

Fred  and  (Teorge  asked  permission  to  go  out  on  the  ice,  but  their 
request  was  denied.  Captain  Jones  explained  that  there  might  be  a  break- 
up at  any  moment,  and  they  would  run  great  risk  of  being  cut  off  from 
their  floating  home.  "The  pack,"  said  he,  "is  not  yet  solidly  closed,  how- 
ever much  it  njay  appear  so;  a  change  of  wind  may  open  long  lanes  of 
water,  and  you  miglit  suddenly  And  yourself  with  one  of  these  lanes  be- 
tween you  and  the  ship.  We  could  not  send  a  boat  for  you,  as  it  would 
be  impossible  to  launch  one,  and  your  only  chance  would  be  to  swim 
across  the  lanes  and  clamber  over  the  cakes  and  floes." 


T 


A   SUDDEN   PERIL. 


151 


Such  a  risk  was  not  to  be  tlionsjlit  of  for  a  moment,  and  thev  con- 
tented  tliemselves  with  lool<ing  at  the  i*;e  from  tlic  deck  of  the  Vivian. 
George  had  a  glass  in  his  hand,  and  was  endeavoring  to  find  a  space  of 
open  water  wlien  he  suddenly  caught  sight  of  a  bear. 

The  animal  was  at  least  two  miles  awav,  and  comiuij  towards  the 
ship,  as  though  desirous  of  investigating  it  and  ascertaining  its  character. 
Kiflcs  were  brought,  and  everybody  was  ready  for  a  shot  in  case  there 
was  a  chance  for  it.  Captain  Jones  said  that,  if  the  boar  catne  near 
enough,  the  hunters  m'ght  go  out  on  the  ice  in  pursuit  of  him  ;  but  they 
must  be  under  strict  orders  to  return  at  a  signal  from  the  ship. 

The  bear  continued  to  approach,  and  when  he  was  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  Vivian  tlie  captain  gave  his  permission,  and  the  Doctor  and 
major  went  over  the  side  and  down  upon  the  ice,  accoMipam'ed,  or  rather 
followed,  by  Fred  and  George,  fc  reening  themselves  as  well  as  ])ossible 
behind  the  hummocks  scattered  over  the  ice-pack,  they  got  along  very 
well,  and  were  soon  within  range  of  the  game.  Evidently  the  bear  was 
suspicious;  ho  stopped  in  his  advance  and  stood  erect,  in  order  to  take  in 
as  wide  a  field  of  view  as  possible.  This  ga\o  an  excellent  mark  for  the 
rifios,  and  the  major  took  a  shot  at  the  denizen  of  the  ice.  The  Doctor 
followed  his  example  almost  at  the  same  instant;  the  bullets  went  true 
to  their  mark,  and  the  bear  fell  to  the  ice  apparently  dead. 

The  hunters  advanced  cautiously,  and  it  was  well  they  did  so.  The 
bear  rose  to  his  feet  when  they  were  not  more  than  half  a  dozen  yards 
away,  and  sprang  directly  towards  them  ;  already  his  paws  seemed  to  be 
within  reach  of  the  major's  face,  when  the  Doctor  fired  again  and  brought 
him  down  once  more.  The  shot  was  fatal,  and  there  was  no  further  sign 
of  life.  ' 

The  major  drew  his  handkerchief  and  waved  it,  as  an  intimation  that 
they  haa  killed  their  bear  and  wanted  help  to  carry  it  on  board.  As  he 
did  so,  a  rifle  was  fired  on  the  deck  of  the  Vivian :  it  was  the  signal 
agreed  npon  for  their  return,  and  indicated  danger. 

There  was  no  delay  in  attempting  to  save  the  bear,  though  ail  the 
party  regretted  leaving  such  a  prize  to  be  eaten  by  wolves  or  to  sink 
beneath  the  waves.  Thev  know  that  the  signal  would  not  have  been 
given  without  good  reason,  and  possibly  they  might  be  in  great  peril  with- 
out knowing  it. 

Wherever  the  condition  of  the  ice  permitted,  the}'  ran  at  the  top  of 
their  speed;  but  there  were  many  places  where  running  was  impossible, 
owing  to  the  roughness  of  the  way.  To  prevent  acciJents  M'itli  their 
weapons,  the  major  ordered  that  all  cartridges  should  be  removed,  and 


r 


.  ^-^osew  ■"• , 


!l;i 


15S 


TllK   VOYAGE  OF  TIIK  "VIVIAN." 


'  .V 


I    u 


IICMMOCKH    AKLOAT. 


OH  no  accoiiTit  WaH  ono  of  tlic  party  to  stop  to  shoot  at  atijtliing  except 
in  sulf-duronee.  Tlioy  vvoro  near  tlieir  nliip,  and  tlie  only  hear  thev  hiid 
seen  was  dead;  conseipiently,  there  wiih  not  nnich  likehhood  (;f  *heir  full- 
iujr  inWj  temptation, 

Thoy  weie  ahont  half-way  to  tlio  ship  when  two  shots  were  tired  in 
quick  succcbsion.     They  luiuirally  looked  in  the  Vioiaii's  dii-eetion,  and 

saw  one  of  i.ie  t)tliecrs  stand- 
ing at  tlie  <ifan<;way  waving  u 
small  flag.  The  movements 
of  the  flag  indicated  that  they 
were  to  make  a  detonr  to  the 
right  and  reach  tlie  ship  near 
her  hows.  Tliey  tnined  as  in- 
dicated, and  the  flag  ceased  its 
motion. 

"  There's  oi)en  water  he- 
tween  us  and  the  ship,"  said 
the  major, '-and  we  must  go 
about  to  weather  it." 
Again  the  flag  waved,  and  another  shot  was  fii-ed. 
"  AWre  iri  great  danger,"  said  the  Doctor.     "  linn  for  your  lives !" 
The  pace  was  quickened,  the  major  taking  the  lead. 
A  hnndred  yards  from  the  ship  they  reached  a  great  fissure  or  lane, 
at  least  twei.ty  feet  across,  with  bits  of  ice  floating  at  intervals  of  a  yard 
or  two.     Those  cakes  were  too  small  to  rendei-  it  safe  to  try  to. jump  from 
one  to  another,  and  the  only  way  of  escape  was  to  pass  around  the  end 
of  the  lane.     To  thulr  disma\',  the  lane  extended  perhaps  an  eighth  of  a 
mile,  and  was  widenir.g  and  lengthening  every  moment. 

There  was  a  commotion  below  the  sm-faee  which  indicated  a  c^neral 
disruption  of  the  pack.  Every  few  minntos  an  npheaval  thi-ew  pieces  of 
ice  into  the  air  with  the  sound  of  an  explosion,  and  formed  a  hummock 
like  the  top  of  a  miniature  volcano.  What  if  the  mass  should  separate 
altogetlier  while  they  were  on  its  surface! 

Faster  than  evei-  they  ran  along  the  side  of  the  lane  till  they  neared  its 
end.  There  was  a  width  of  four  or  five  feet  over  which  the  nuijor  sprang 
with  the  agil'ty  of  a  deer;  he  turned  to  catch  the  Doctor,  who  naiTOwlv 
escajied  a  fall,  and  then  the  two  men  received  Fred  and  Geoi-go  without 
accident.  Each  of  the  party  clung  to  his  rifle;  the  major  admitted  after- 
wards that  lie  was  too  scared  to  thiidc  of  droppmg  his  burden,  his  whole 
thought  being  to  waste  no  time  in  getting  to  the  ship. 


A  NAKUUVV  ESCAl'E 


103 


They  approached  the  sh'p  nider  lier  bowsprit.  Their  coinini:^  wivs  pro- 
vided for,  as  the  ouptiiiii  hud  ordered  rope-hichkirs  htwered  from  the  bows, 
so  that  the  time  of  i?oiiii^  a.5  far  aft  as  the  ^uniijway  was  saved.  The 
major  and  Fred  sprang  to  one  of  the  lachU-rs,  wliile  the  Doctor  and 
(ie(»rgc  seized  the  other.  In  a  few  seconds  they  were  on  the  deck  of  the 
Vii'ian,iiUi\  safe  from  their  p(!ril. 

The  hvne  of  water  continued  to  widen  and  k'ngthen,  and  the  commo- 
tion below  the  ieo  increased.  Wlnle  our  friends  were  still  pantinj;  from 
the  fatiiifiie  of  their  enforced  run  over  the  ice,  the  tloes  came  to<ijether  with 
<;reat  violence,  and  formed  a  huge  wiiirow  of  irregidar  blocks  and  frag- 
ments, perhaps  a  dozen  feet  high.  Then  it  oi)ened  again,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  Hoes  were  sei)arated  and  water  was  visible  in  a  dozen  direc- 
tions. The  ice  around  the  ship  gave  way  and  she  floated  free.  With  the 
iiid  of  the  glass  tin  v  could  see  that  the  same  disturbance  was  i^oin;;  on  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  Gatnhettn. 

The  latter  vessel  had  been  lying  with  her  prow  to  the  westward,  l)Ut 
she  was  gradually  turned  by  the  ice  until  she  headed  due  north.  Then 
she  snread  her  foresail  to  catch  the  breeze,  and  soon  was  foi'ging  slowly 
ahead. 

"  She's  determined  to  sail  to  the  pole,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"Yes,"  answered  Major  Clap|),  "and  so  are  we." 

As  he  spoke  he  pointed  to  the  foresail  of  the  Vivian,  which  was  fol- 
lowing the  example  of  the  Frenchman.  Captain  Jones  was  aloft  in  the 
crowVnest,  and  his  quick  eye  had  noted  the  movement  of  the  Gamhettn. 
As  her  men  were  ascending  the  riirging  he  gave  the  necessary  ordei',  and 
was  evidently  determined  not  to  be  left  behind. 


HOW   A   HlllMOCK   IS   FORMED. 


"■■flit 


154 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


vi^ 


CHAPTER   XT. 

FAST    IN'   THE  ICE.— GOING    INTO  WINTER  QUARTERS. 

OBSERVATION  at  noon  showed  the  ships  to  bo  in  latitude  72°  15' 
noi'th,  longitude  170°  20'  west;  the  lookout  reported  signs  of  open 
water  to  the  eastward,  and  after  a  shoi-t  dialogue  with  the  signal-flags  tlio 
ships  were  headed  in  that  direction,  the  Vivian  leading.  In  a  couple  of 
hours  the  coiu'se  was  changed  to  the  north-east,  and  the  promise  of  opiii 
water  was  increased, since  there  was  no  indication  of  ice-blink  on  the  horizon 
towards  which  they  were  steering.  Jjctween  seven  and  eight  o'clock,  or,  as 
Fred  ex])ressed  it, "  at  half-past  nineteen,"  the  open  water  was  distinctly 
visible  eight  or  ten  miles  ahead  of  their  position,  and  by  midnight  they 
were  practically  free  of  the  ice. 

Just  as  they  had  reached  clear  sailing  a  fog  set  in,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary to  proceed  with  great  caution.  Very  little  way  was  made  by  eitliei- 
ship,  as  it  was  impossible  to  determine  when  the  ice  would  be  reached 
again,  and  it  would  be  a  serious  matter  to  run  against  a  floe  while  proceed- 
ing at  the  rate  of  live  or  six  knots  an  hour.  Sail  was  shortened  to  little 
more  than  the  extent  of  a  pocket-handkerchief,  and  the  Vivian  and  Gam- 
betta  drifted  along,  and  literally  felt  their  way.  They  did  not  make  more 
than  a  mile  an  hour  in  this  sort  of  progress,  and  it  was  especially  tantaliz- 
ing, as  there  was  a  favoring  breeze  that  would  have  borne  them  merrily 
along  if  circumstances  permitted.  The  wisdom  of  their  precaution  was 
shown  when  a  huge  floe  aj^peared  through  the  fog  and  effectually  barred 
their  way.  The  captain  ordered  an  ice-anchor  to  be  put  out,  and  in  a 
little  while  the  Vivian  was  moored  to  the  floO;  and  the  Ganibetta  followed 
her  example. 

The  fog  lifted  after  a  time,  and  showed  that  the  floe  .ras  of  great  ex- 
tent ;  it  embraced  several  small  icebergs,  the  iir.'5t  they  had  seen,  and  as 
soon  as  it  was  considered  safe  to  do  so  a  party  went  oif  to  examine  theni. 
The  largest  of  the  bergs  was  about  a  hundred  feet  hi.</li  and  five  hundred 

O  Cj  1.-' 

yards  long,  and  the  ice  of  which  it  was  composed   was  remarkably  clear 
for  the  product  of  a  glacier.     Captain  Jones  said  he  thought  it  must  have 


TAKING  A  KE8T. 


15.5 


^1      1 


15G 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


!».• 


V;    ■•"Vl 


i»  rT"» 


come  from  the  American  coast,  though  possibly  it  may  liave  originated  in 
one  of  t:  e  islands  discovered  by  Captain  De  Long  on  hi"  retreat  southward, 
after  the  sinking  of  the  Jeanneite.  In  the  joujnal  from  which  the  ac- 
count of  his  voyage  was  written,  he  says  that  he  saw  on  Bennett  Island 
one  glacier  which  was  three  miles  across  at  its  front,  and  another,  some- 
what smaller,  a  little  farther  along  the  coast. 

Several  blocks  were  cut  from  the  berg  and  taken  on  boai'd  the  Vivian; 
they  incited  one  of  tiiese  blocks,  and  the  water  obtained  from  it  was  per- 
fectly fresh ;  this  proved  unmistakably  that  it  was  from  a  glacier.  Floe- 
ice  is  formed  by  the  freezing  of  salt-  water,  but  occasionally  cakes  and 
fragments  are  found  which  have  drifted  down  fi-om  Siberian  or  American 
rivers,  and  are  therefore  fresh.  In  the  heat  of  summer  the  surface  of 
a  floe  is  often  covered  in  many  places  with  water  two  or  three  inches 
deep;  sometimes  this  water  comes  from  the  melting  of  the  surface  of  tlie 
ice,  and  occasionally  it  is  blown  there  by  the  action  of  the  wind ;  in  either 
case  it  is  salt,  and  can  never  be  mistaken  for  the  j)rudiict  of  a  berg. 

Fred  took  an  ice-auger  and  endeavored  to  ascertain  the  thickness  of 
the  floe,  but  after  boring  to  a  depth  of  eleven  feet  he  gave  up  the  attempt. 
Captain  Jones  said  he  might  easily  go  down  twenty  feet  without  finding 
bottom,  and  George  reminded  him  that  arctic  explorers  had  found  ice 
upward  of  forty  feet  thick.  "NVeyprecht  and  Payer,  in  the  voyage  of  the 
Tegetlwff^  reported  a  depth  of  forty-seven  feet  in  the  ice  M'hich  surioundcd 
the  ship  in  her  last  winter  in  the  Xorth;  this  great  thickness  shows  the 
eltec't  of  long  continued  and  intense  cold.  If  the  congelation  sets  in  earlv 
in  the  buginning  of  an  arctic  winter,  and  the  weatiier  is  steadily  cold,  with- 
out wind,  the  water  becomes  chilled  to  such  an  extent  that  a  few  more 
weeks  and  a  few  more  degrees  ol'  cold  would  convert  the  entire  ocean 
around  the  pole  into  a  solid  mass. 

Jjiberty  was  given  to  half  the  crew  to  go  out  on  the  ice  and  amuse 
themselves  in  any  way  they  liked;  but  it  was  understood  that  they  should 
return  with  all  speed  at  a  signal  from  the  ship.  They  had  a  good  time, 
chasing  each  other  like  school-boys  at  play,  climbiiig  on  the  iceberg,  sliding 
wherever  there  was  a  smooth  surface  favorable  to  that  amusement,  and 
searching  for  shells  and  pieces  of  drift-wood.  The  latter  sport  wns 
mainly  left  to  Fred  and  Geoi'ge,  as  it  was  more  scieutitic  than  exciting, 
and  the  sailors  were  not  specially  interested  in  it.  Geoi'ge  picked  up  a 
piece  of  drift-wood  similar  to  what  had  been  found  on  Herald  and 
Wrangell  Islands,  and  with  the  help  of  one  of  the  men  carried  it  to  tlie 
ship.  Commander  Bronson  said  it  demonstrated  that  the  ice  was  formed 
in  the  part  '>f  the  Arctic  Ocean  west  of  Behring  Strait ;  its  position,  to- 


HUNTING  ON  THE  ICE. 


157 


gether  with  tlie  iceberg  imbedded  in  it,  was  an  indication  of  an  easterly 
current  which  might  prove  exactly  wliat  they  wanted  to  find. 

While  George  was  busy  with  the  dri^t  ■./ood,  Fred,  who  had  abandoned 
tlie  ice-auger,  ,)roceeded  to  investigate  the  berg  from  which  the  blocks  had 
already  been  cut  and  carried  to  the  ship.  With  considerable  difficulty  he 
climbed  to  the  top,  cutting  steps  for  his  feet  at  every  advance  and  narrow- 
ly escaping  a  serious  fall.  A  few  minutes  after  he  stood  upon  the  sum- 
mit, and  waved  his  hat  as  a  signal  of  triumph,  a  large  slice  broke  from  the 
farther  end  of  tlie  berg  and  slid  down  with  a  tremendous  crash.  This  was 
a  warning  of  the  peril  of  his  position,  and  he  prudently  descended  to  the 
surface  of  the  floe.  Safely  at  the  bottom,  he  realized  the  force  of  what 
he  had  heard  and  read,  that  an  iceberg  is  not  to  be  depended  on  at  any 
time,  and  should  be  approached  and  mounted  with  caution. 

A  commotion  amoni;  the  men  who  had  straved  to  the  farther  end  of 
the  berg  attracted  the  youth's  attention,  and  he  hastened  to  ascertain  the 
cause.     lie  had  not  long  to  wait. 

"  A  bear!  a  bear!"  said  one  of  the  sailore  who  came  running  from  the 
group. 

"  And  a  big  one,  too !"  said  another,  who  was  following  close  behind 
his  comrade. 

None  of  the  sailors  had  any  weapons,  and  Fred  was  without  his  gun. 
The  major  and  the  Doctor,  together  with  the  commander,  were  walking  on 
the  ice  not  far  from  the  ship,  engaged  in  investigating  it,  and  not  one  of 
them  had  anvthing  to  shoot  with. 

"Bring  tlie  rifles !"  shouted  all  three  of  the  gentlemen  at  nearly  the 
same  instant.  Soon  the  rifles  were  in  their  hands,  and  they  started  for  the 
H'atne. 

The  bear  seemed  to  understand  the  situation,  a<id  gave  them  a  long 
ciiase.  lie  could  move  faster  than  his  biped  pursuers,  and  every  minute 
the  distance  between  them  increased.  Finding  there  was  no  hope  of  over- 
taking him.  Commander  Bronson  dropped  on  one  knee  and  took  a  long 
siiot,  but  without  perceptible  effect.  The  bear  kept  on  as  though  nothing 
liiid  happened,  and  the  chase  was  abandoned  at  the  end  of  half  a  lile. 
The  Doctor  said  he  was  reminded  of  a  similar  chase  after  a  bear  on  the 
ice  near  the  Siberian  coast,  a  few  years  before;  he  followed  the  animal 
for  at  least  Ave  miles,  and  the  brute  seemed  to  lead  him  on  fur  the  pur- 
pose of  tantalizing  him. 

Whene\er  he  stopped  and  gave  up  the  chase,  the  bear  halted  and  came 
towards  him,  almost  within  range.  Then  the  bear  would  stop  and  look  at 
him;  the  Doctor  would  creep  forward,  and  when  about  ready  for  a  shot, 


^1 


158 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


ri    < 


.m 


i!ri 

•I  f 


the  bear  invariably  tni-necl  and  made  off.  Then  the  Doctor  followed  on  a 
while ;  when  he  stopped  the  bear  stopped ;  and  thus  the  performance  was 
repeated  several  times.  Finally  he  took  a  long  shot,  with  little  expectation 
of  hitting  his  object;  he  aimed  high,  to  allow  for  the  conrse  of  the  bnlJct, 
and  to  his  snrprise  bronght  the  bear  to  the  ice  and  disabled  him.  Then 
he  followed  np  and  Unished  the  bear  with  a  shot  throngh  the  skull.  The 
first  bullet  had  broken  a  fore-leg  and  opened  one  of  the  large  veins,  but  in 
spite  of  the  severe  woimd  the  bear  rushed  at  him  as  he  ai)proached,  and 
was  only  stopped  by  the  iinal  shot. 

O'n*  friends  looked  about  for  seals  and  Aval  ruses,  but  none  were  to  be 
seen.  It  is  probable  that,  if  any  were  in  the  vicinity,  they  had  been  scared 
off  by  the  noise  on  the  ice,  as  these  creatures  are  very  wary  and  must  be 
pursued  in  silence.  There's  an  old  saying,  "  you  don't  hunt  ducks  with  a 
brass  band,"  and  it  may  well  apply  to  seals  and  walruses.  Quiet  must  be 
observed  when  pursuing  these  animals  on  the  ice,  as  they  slip  into  the 
water  at  the  least  sound.  When  you  have  a  walrus  harpooned  yon  may 
shout  as  much  as  you  please,  and  you  can  do  the  same  thing  when  killing 
seals  with  a  club,  after  their  reti'cat  to  the  water  is  cut  off. 

A  gun  from  the  ship  drew  attention  to  the  signal  at  the  peak,  and 
everybody  went  on  board  without  delay.  The  dogs  had  been  let  out  for  a 
run  on  the  ice,  and  there  was  some  trouble  in  getting  them  in  again ;  they 
resisted  all  control,  until  one  of  the  diivers  came  to  the  gang-plank  and 
threw  out  a  few  pieces  of  seal-meat.  The  whole  drove  then  went  aboard 
with  a  rush,  and  had  their  usual  quarrel  over  the  repast  on  the  ship's  deck. 

The  recall  had  been  made  in  consequence  of  the  clearhig  up  of  the 
fog  and  the  prospect  of  being  able  to  make  a  farther  advance.  When 
all  were  safe  on  board,  the  Vivian  cast  off  from  the  floe  and  the  Gambetta 
followed  her  example.  A  few  scattered  cakes  and  floefi  were  visible  in 
the  north-east,  but  there  was  none  as  large  as  the  one  to  which  they  had 
been  fastened,  and  the  captain  considered  the  opportunity  too  good  to  be 
lost. 

The  ships  made  about  thirty-five  or  forty  miles  on  their  course,  and 
then  the  drift-ice  became  so  thick  as  to  necessitate  caution.  The  captain 
mounted  to  the  crow's-nest,  and  in  an  hour  or  so  he  announced  that  he 
could  make  out  the  ice-blink  filling  the  horizon  in  the  distance.  It  ex- 
tended so  far  that  he  thought  it  indicated  an  end  of  their  progress  under 
sail  for  the  present. 

Steadily  the  ice  increased,  and  in  ten  or  twelve  hours  after  the  blink 
was  discovered  they  found  themselves  hemmed  in  on  all  sides.  The  floes 
were  large,  and  the  lanes  became  so  narrow  that  sailing  vas  out  of  the 


,      A  TANTALIZING  PURSUIT. 


159 


I' 


160 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


1*: 


i^'ii 


l^r^ 


question.  Once  mure  the  ships  were  tied  np,  and  as  a  matter  of  precaution 
Captain  Jones  ordered  the  Vivian  to  be  warped  into  a  little  nook  on  one 
side  of  a  floe,  where  the  chances  of  being  "nipped"  were  greatly  diinin- 
iehed. 

"  We  are  now,"  said  the  captain,  "about  as  far  to  the  north  as  we  can 
expect  to  get  by  6.Jling.  In  a  few  hours  we  sliall  probably  be  frozen  in, 
and  muot  trust  to  the  currents  to  cany  us  on  our  way.  The  wind  is  in  our 
favor,  and  1  think  the  ice  is  carrying  us  towards  the  pole." 

Then  he  ordered  soundings  to  be  made  on  the  side  of  the  ship  farthest 
from  the  ice.  The  lead  showed  forty-five  fathoms  of  water,  with  muddy 
bottom;  after  the  depth  had  been  ascertained  the  lead  was  again  cast,  in 
order  to  ascertain  the  drift  of  the  ice,  and  consecpiently  of  the  ship.  Tliis 
proved  to  Le  north-east ;  the  wind  was  blowing  from  the  south,  and  conse- 
quently the  drift  was  not  exactly  in  accordance  with  the  wind,  and  showed 
the  existence  of  a  current. 

During  the  night  the  ice  closed  in  more  firmly  than  before,  and  the 
drift  to  the  north-east  continued.  Observation  at  noon  the  next  day 
showed  their  position,  latitude  74°  20'  north, longi'tude  172°  18'  west;  and 
it  was  practically  at  this  point  they  were  enclosed  by  the  ice  and  held  finuly 
in  its  grasp. 

And  now  began  a  period  of  monotony  whicli  we  will  not  attempt  to 
record  day  by  da}^  Such  a  narrative  would  be  tedious,  and  could  not 
differ  materially  from  the  stoi'ics  that  many  navigators  have  given  us  in 
the  accounts  of  their  hibernation  in  the  arctic  regions.  Our  friends  fol- 
lowed the  example  of  Kane,  Parry,  De  Long,  M'Clintock,  and  other  arctic 
explorers,  and  proceeded  to  make  their  preparations  for  the  season  of  long- 
continued  cold.  Lumber  was  brought  from  below  for  building  a  house 
over  the  deck;  the  structure  was  nuide  as  close  as  possible,  in  order  to 
keep  out  the  cold,  and  a  siiflicient  pitch  was  given  to  the  roof  to  let  the 
snow  slide  ofl!  as  fast  as  it  fell.  In  the  centre  the  roof  was  supi)orted  by 
stout  rafters,  and  the  space  was  made  so  roomy  that  it  virtually  added  an- 
other deck  to  the  ship.  The  dogs  were  allowed  the  run  of  this  enclosed 
space  at  certain  hours  of  the  day,  but  the  most  of  their  time  was  passed 
on  the  ice,  where  shelters  were  erected  for  them.  They  were  not  long  in 
finding  out  the  hour  for  meals.  It  was  the  custom  to  feed  tl^em  at  f«»ur 
in  the  afternoon,  and  when  the  marine  signal  of  eight  bells  was  given 
they  walked  up  the  gang-plank  and  indicated  their  readiness  for  duty. 
Had  they  been  the  patrons  of  a  well-regulated  boarding-house  they  could 
not  have  been  more  prompt.  . 

The  dog-shelters  were  made  of  boards,  like  the  housing  of  the  deck. 


A  WINTER  RESIDENCE  AMONG  THE  ESKIMOS. 


161 


t- 

c 
> 

C 
W 

e 


all 


f 


11 


162 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


Fred  and  George  wanted  to  have  some  huts  of  snow  or  ice,  and  with  tlio 
assistance  of  the  dog-drivers  they  constructed  some.  It  required  a  good 
deal  of  engineering,  as  the  Chukcliees  are  not  to  be  compared  with  the 
E;ikimos  in  this  kind  of  work;  in  fact,  tlie  Eskimo  snow-iiut  is  tlie  finest 
dwelHng  of  the  kind  in  the  whole  vorld.  Fred  and  George  made  use  uf 
the  drawings  given  by  Captain  Hall,  and  others  familiar  with  the  Eskimos, 
and  tiien  projected  their  edilices  as  an  architect  makes  his  plans.  Evei-y 
block  was  hewn  from  the  ice, as  a  block  of  stone  is  cut  for  a  building;  tho 
joints  were  cemented  with  water;  a  tunnel  was  made  for  the  entrance,  on 
the  same  plan  as  in  Greenland ;  and  altogether  the  huts,  when  completed, 
were  highly  creditable  to  the  builders. 

We  will  describe  the  mode  of  construction  of  the  Eskimo  snow-hut  bv 
telling  how  our  friends  made  theirs. 

Tliey  levelled  a  space  on  the  ice  to  form  the  floor,  and  in  order  to 
have  as  little  transportation  as  possible  for  their  nniterial  they  selected 
a  spot  close  to  a  solid  hummock.  The  Eskimos  use  blocks  of  snow  which 
liave  been  packed  hai'd  by  the  wind,  but  as  these  were  not  available,  our 
friends  used  ice,  which  they  quarried  from  tlic  hummock.  As  before 
stated,  each  block  was  carefully  shaped  before  being  set  in  its  }dace ; 
George  attended  to  the  cutting  of  the  blocks,  assisted  by  one  of  the 
drivers,  while  Fred  and  the  other  driver  performed  the  work  on  the  hut. 

The  iirst  hut  they  built  was  about  ten  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  ami 
was  intended  to  be  six  feet  clear  on  the  inside.  Of  course  the  centre  of 
the  dome  was  the  only  point  where  this  height  was  maintained.  Opposite 
the  entrance  the  floor  was  raised  about  six  inches  higher  than  in  the  other 
half  of  the  hut;  this  raised  space  was  understood  to  be  parlor  and  bed- 
room, while  the  other  was  more  practical  in  its  uses,  and  served  as  kitchen, 
and  a  lodging  for  the  dogs  when  they  chose  to  come  in.  The  dogs,  by-the- 
way,  seemed  to  understand  from  the  outset  that  they  were  prohibited  from 
mounting  to  the  parlor,  and  only  on  a  few  occasions  did  tliey  ever  attempt  it. 

Tlie  flrst  row  of  blocks  was  laid  with  mathematical  accuracy,  the  circle 
having  been  formed  by  means  of  a  string  fastened  to  a  peg  in  the  centre 
of  the  prepared  floor;  then  the  second  row  was  laid  a  little  inside  tlie 
line  of  the  first;  and  then  the  rows  followed  in  regular  succession  till  the 
top  was  reached.  Three  holes  for  windows  were  left  at  different  eleva- 
tions ;  two  of  these  were  covered  with  plates  of  clear  ice  an  inch  or  more 
in  thickness,  whih;  the  third  was  closed  with  the  membrane  of  the  stomach 
of  a  deer.  It  was  found  that  these  windows  admitted  sufficient  light  for 
all  practical  purposes,  but  the  ice-windows  were  not  to  be  relied  on  during 
the  period  that  the  sun  came  above  the  horizon. 


BUILDING  AN  ICE-HUT. 


163 


■*.<%%■< 


The  youths  made  a  hulicrous  blunder  in  their  first  effort  at  building  a 
hut.  Fred  was  on  the  inside,  assisting  in  laying  the  blocks  in  i)lace;  his 
attendant  native  was  outside  the  hut,  engaged  in  handing  up  the  blocks 
as  they  were  received  from  George  and. his  assistant.  As  they  were  about 
to  put  the  final  block  on  the  top  it  occurred  to  (Jeorge  that  they  had  quite 
forgotten  to  make  a  door  for  entrance.  They  had  planned  it  originally, 
but  in  the  excitement  of  laying  out  the  circle  the  door  had  been  omitted, 
and  was  not  again  thought  or.  And  there  was  Fred,  almost  walled  up 
inside  without  means  of  escape ! 

The  ice-axes  soon  remedied  this  oversight,  and  Fred  was  able  to  come 
to  daylight,  after  assisting  in  covering  the  dome  with  its  cap.  Then  the 
tuimel  leading  up  to  the  door  was  finished,  and  the  youths  wei'e  ready  for 
the  inspection  of  their  work. 

They  held  a  reception  the  next  day  at  noon.  Calls  were  made  by  all 
the  officers  of  the  ship,  and  each  visitor  was  regaled  with  a  cup  of  hot  tea 
from  a  kettle  prepared  on  ship- 
board, and  kept  at  the  right  temper- 
ature by  an  alcohol  lamp.  George 
said  they  were  not  quite  up  to  the 
native  custom  of  burning  oil  in  a 
stone  lamp,  but  they  might  come  to 
it  in  time. 

George  was  ready  to  answer  all 
inquiries  relative  to  the  construction 
of  huts  of  this  sort ;  he  sai  ^  they 
were  peculiar  to  the  arctic  regions, 
and  were  rarely,  if  ever,  seen  in  the 

torrid  zone;  Stanley  and  other  African  explorers  made  no  mention  of 
tiiein,  and  therefore  it  was  to  be  inferred  that  snow-huts  were  not  built 
in  th")  dark  continent.  Even  in  the  far  North  they  do  not  last  through 
the  sunimer,.  as  the  sun  quickly  destroys  them ;  the  snow-hut  is  only  a 
winter  residence,  and  the  Eskimos  take  to  skin  tents  during  the  warm 
months. 

The  winter  huts  of  the  Eskiihos  are  usually  on  the  ice,  or  near  it,  on 
account  of  the  convenience  of  fishing  or  sealing,  but  their  sunimer  tents 
are  on  the  land.  For  a  winter  residence  they  select  a  bay  where  the  ice 
is  not  likely  to  drift,  and  the  nearer  they  cati  get  to  the  haunts  of  the  seal 
the  better  they  like  it.  It  not  unfrequently  happens  that  the  ice  under 
a  village  breal.13  up  in  a  storm ;  in  such  case  the  occupants  must  run  for 
safety,  and  they  are  not  always  able  to  do  this,  especially  if  a  severe  gale 


KSKIMO   STONE  I,AMP   AM)    HUK. 


I 

I 

I; 

;i 
^1 


15';  K^,i5j!'  fi'l 


ICA 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


is  blowing,  and  there  is  a  general  disruption  of  the  floe  In  some  in- 
stances whole  villages  have  Ijeen  swept;  away,  and  in  others  only  a  few 
individnals  escaped  to  tell  how  the  rest  were  lost. 


Hi, 


r" 


A   HUT  SUBMEKGKD. 


Fi-ed  and  George  spent  the  most  of  the  afternoon  in  their  ice-hut  to 
receive  the  congratulations  of  their  friends  and  become  accustomed  to  the 
novelty  of  the  situation.  "When  evening  came  tliey  abandoned  it  to  the 
dog-drivers,  and  on  the  next  day  it  was  the  object  of  much  interest  to  the 
sailors,  who  were  allowed  to  visit  it  in  small  pa)  ties  till  all  had  been  given 
an  opportunity  of  iiispection  and  criticism. 

Evidently  the  3'ouths  were  not  in  a  hurry  to  occupy  the  new  house  they 
had  built,  and  they  frankly  admitted  that  the  cabin  of  the  Vivian  was 
greatly  to  be  preferred.  "  J3ut  we'll  build  more  of  them,"  said  Fred,  "  in 
case  they  are  needed  for  sheltering  O'Q  dogs,  or  for  any  other  purpose. 
We've  got  our  hands  in  now,  and  can  turn  them  off  very  quickly.  We  can 
make  a  whole  village  of  tliese  huts,  and  comiect  them  by  short  galleries,  as 
the  Eskimos  do,  so  that  we  may  step  from  one  to  another  without  going 
out-of-doors."  , 

The  early  part  of  the  hibernation  of  the  ships  was  not  at  all  dangerous, 
as  the  ice-floes  were  not  crowding  each  other,  and  there  were  no  gales  to 


.^f 


A  WALPUS-HUNT, 


1C5 


break  np  the  fields  and  create  the  coininotious  that  we  have  already  men- 
tioned. SoMietinios  the  wind  shifted  sn  '  lenlj,  but  in  most  cases  there  was 
a  calm  interval  of  a  few  hours.  The  ather  steadily  increased  in  cold- 
ness, and  by  the  middle  of  Septombci'  <-  iC  thermometer  at  night  was  fre- 
(juently  lieluw  zero. 

E\ery  day  the  dog-teams  were  harnessed  for  sledge  journeys  over  the 
ice  as  far  as  practicable.  Visits  were  exchanged  with  the  officers  of  the 
Gamhetta,  and  both  ships  made  preparations  for  long  explorations  as  soon 
as  circumstances  favored.  Fred  and  George  tried  their  hands  at  driving 
the  dogs,  and  had  many  overturns  and  mishaps.  No  serious  accident  oc- 
curred, however,  and  they  coimted  their  bruises  as  the  honorable  scars  of 
their  warfare  v     ■>  the  regions  of  ice. 

liears  and  tnil  vere  occasionally  seen,  and  when  seen  thc}'  were  pur- 
sued with  Vii  ing  jcess.  One  day  a  returning  dog-team  reported  wal- 
ruses on  t '  "<;(  ".ear  some  open  water  six  or  eigiit  miles  to  the  south;  of 
course  there  w  . .  a  desire  on  the  part  of  everybody  to  go  in  pursuit  of  them, 
and  early  oxt  morning  a  party  was  off.  Two  dog-teams  were  taken,  and 
it  was  arrti  .g'.d  that  if  any  walruses  were  killed  the  other  teams  should  bo 
sent  out  as  soon  as  intelligence  could  be  brought  to  the  ship. 

Thev  succeeded  in  killing  three  walruses  out  of  a  dozen  or  jnore  that 
were  making  themselves  comfortalde  on  the  surface  of  a  floe.  The  sledges 
were  loaded  with  the  meat,  and  Fred  started  back  with  them ;  a  sharp 
lookout  had  been  kept  on  board  ship  for  the  hunters,  so  that  Fred  and  his 
sledges  were  discovered  before  he  had  made  half  the  distance  homeward. 
The  flag  of  the  Vioimi  was  dipped  three  times,  as  had  been  arranged,  and 
then  the  youth  mounted  to  the  top  of  a  hummock,  and  with  the  small  flag 
that  he  carried  he  told  the  result  of  the  day's  sport.  In  a  few  minutes  the 
extra  teams  were  off,  and  making  the  best  of  their  way  in  the  direction  of 
the  hunting  region.  The  dogs  enioved  the  run  immensely,  and  needed  no 
urging;  in  many  places  the  ice  was  rough,  but  by  making  occasional 
detours  the  sledges  found  a  fairlv  good  road. 

Fred  did  not  retui-n  to  where  the  M'alruses  were  killed,  as  it  was  too 
late  in  the  day  when  he  reached  the  ship  to  make  a  second  journey.  The 
sledges  were  loaded  with  all  they  could  carry,  and  by  dark  all  wei-e  safely 
at  tiie  side  of  the  Vivian.  The  Doctor  said  'Jicy  had  been  obliged  to  leave 
several  hundred  pounds  of  walrus-ineat,  and  hoped  to  be  able  to  bring  it  in 
the  next  morning;  Captain  Jones  thought  there  would  be  very  little  use  in 
going  for  it,  as  the  flesh  could  be  scented  a  long  difitance  i>y  the  beai-s,  and 
the  chances  were  in  favor  of  their  devouring  every  oimce  of  it  before  the 
hnntere  could  get  around  to  the  spot. 


I 


11 


* 


166 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


Tf  ■'^'i 


"  If  that's  tlio  caK',"  said  George,  "  we'll  go  for  it  anyway,  and  if  the 
hears  have  eaten  up  the  meat  they  will  he  likely  to  stay  around  for  more, 
and  we  can  have  the  fim  of  a  hear-hunt." 

The  suggestion  was  acjcepted  as  a  sensihle  one,  and  early  in  the  morn- 
ing the  party  was  off.  It  consisted  of  the  major,  with  George  and  Fied. 
and  they  agreed  that,  as  the  suggestion  came  from  George,  he  should  have 
the  first  shot  at  the  hear  in  case  thev  encountered  one. 

As  they  approached  the  scene  of  the  previous  day's  sport  they  pro- 
ceeded very  cautiously;  every  few  minutes  the  youths  mounted  to  the 
summit  of  a  hmnmock  and  swept  the  horizon  with  a  glass,  in  the  hoj)e  of 
discovei'ing  a  hear.  Their  i)atience  was  rewarded,  as  a  bear  was  revealed 
where  the  dead  walrus  lay ;  ho  was  so  busy  with  his  breakfast  that  he  did 
not  look  up  for  an  instant,  and  the  major  thought  it  would  be  easy  to  ap- 
proach him. 

The  sledge  was  left  with  the  dogs  behind  a  hummock ;  the  animals  had 
not  seen  or  scented  the  bear,  otherwise  it  would  have  been  a  difficult  mat. 
ter  to  keep  them  quiet.  The  three  hunters  went  forward  with  their  rifles, 
George  taking  the  lead  in  accordance  with  the  agreement. 

Tiiey  crept  along,  shielding  themselves  as  best  they  could,  though  there 
was  little  need  of  precaution,  since  the  bear  was  so  intently  occupied 
with  his  feast  of  >valrus-meat.  Keeping  the  wind  in  their  favor,  so  that 
he  should  not  discover  their  presence  by  his  sense  of  smell,  they  reached  a 
little  hummock  not  more  than  twenty  yards  ^.om  where  the  bear  stood. 

"Don't  be  in  a  hurry,"  whispered  the  major;  "get  a  good  aim  at  his 
heart,  and  rest  your  rifle  against  the  hummock  to  steady  it.  Wait  till  you 
have  a  first-rate  chance,  as  he  won't  be  in  a  hurry  to  move  oft'." 

George  obeyed  the  major's  directions,  and  secured  an  excellent  aim 
before  firing. 

As  the  report  of  his  rifle  rang  out,  the  major  and  Fred  sprang  from 
their  concealment,  and  were  ready  to  give  their  assistance  in  case  it  was 
wanted. 

The  bear  fell  on  his  side,  but  was  up  in  an  instant.  He  rose  to  his 
hind-feet,  and  thus  gave  the  opportunity  for  George's  companions.  They 
fired  almost  simultaneously,  and  the  bear  dropped  once  more.  Then 
George  ran  forward  and  smashed  the  skull  of  the  bmite  with  another  bul- 
let. The  bi'ief  and  brilliant  encounter  was  over,  and  the  party  had  ex- 
changed the  meat  of  the  walrus  for  that  of  the  bear. 

While  they  were  engaged  in  skinring  their  prize  and  preparing  it  for 
the  homeward  journe}',  Fred  discovered  a  large  bear  on  the  ice  not  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away.     The  youth  desired  to  go  on  another  hunt. 


A  HAPPY  FAMILY. 


107 


J" 


'■| 


1: 

m 

1 

1? 

r  '^' 

pi 

■i, 

1 

3 

m 

1 

m' 

1 

..lb 

168 


TIIK   V()YA(Jli  OF  TIIK   "VlViAN." 


l)iit  was  rostniinod  by  tlio  inujor,  who  argued  tliat  tliey  already  had  a* 
iniu'li  game  a*  thoy  conUl  tako  caro  of;  and  if  they  killed  aiit»ther  luiir 
thoy  would  bo  oblij^ed  to  leavo  him  for  his  brethren  and  the  wolves  to 
devour. 

"  Do  bears  eat  each  others"  said  Fred,  in  a  tone  of  surprise. 

*' Certainly  they  do,"  was  the  reply;  "they  kill  >ind  devour  one  anotlici- 
in  their  battles,  and  if  a  bear  is  killed  by  a  hunte>',  and  abandniied,  he  will 
be  8[)ee(lily  devoured  by  his  kindred.  They  are  not  at  ail  fastidious  in 
their  tastes,  and  if  the  thing  was  not  a  physical  ineonvenienee,  1  believe 
a  bear  would  eat  hinjself  up,  and  pick  all  his  bones  so  clean  that  there 
wouldn't  be  enough  tlesh  on  them  to  bait  a  mouse-trap  with. 

"And  if  the  bears  didn't  come  around,  the  wolves  would  be  sure  to 
find  their  way  here  before  numv  hours.  The  meat  that  an  arctic  wolf  will 
decline  to  devcmr  hasn't  yet  been  discovered." 

So  the  solitary  bear  on  the  ice  was  left  to  himself,  and  no  doubt  he 
fared  sum[)tuously  on  what  the  hunters  left  on  their  return  to  the  ship. 


ARCTIC   WOLVES. 


TAKING  SOUNUINCIS  TllUOUOU  THE  ICE. 


1GI» 


CHAPTER  XII. 


I 


DFSAPPEAnANTE    OF    THE    SlW.  —  INCIDKXTS    OF    IIinERXATlON.  —  THE   AURORA 

illoltEALIS. 

^■^IIE  ships  contimuid  (lay  by  day  to  drift  with  tho  ico  as  it  was  ])orno 
-^  i)y  tho  wind  and  tMn'ronts,  A  trood  doal  deponded  on  tho  wind,  and 
fortunafolv  it  was  ni<»stlv  from  tho  sonthorn  (inartor  of  tho  horizon:  sonio- 
tinios,  when  not  a  hrcath  was  hlowini;,  s(Mnidin<j;s  were  made  throiigli  tho 
ico  in  order  to  ascertain  tlio  force  of  tho  current.  At  such  tinios  the  load 
was  droj)j»od  to  tho  bottom,  and  allowed  to  remain  there  nntil  tho  slojw  of 
tho  lino  became  so  j^roat  that  it  was  time  to  take  it  in.  Connnander  Hron- 
son  applied  one  of  tho  problems  of  iMiclid  to  the  demt»nstration  on  the 
drift  of  the  shi]>,  and  perhaps  the  knowledge  of  his  system  may  be  of  use 
to  others. 

In  the  first  place,  the  lead  was  dropped  porpendicnlarly  to  the  bottom, 
and  the  length  of  line  paid  out  was  carefnlly  noted.  Then,  as  the  ship 
drifted  with  the  ice,  the  observations  wore  made  at  a  hole  throngh  the  ice. 
The  line  was  rnn  out  nntil  it  sloped  off  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees. 
Tlie  additional  line  given  ont  was  noted,  and  thus  the  pci'pondicular  and 
the  hypothennse  were  known,  together  with  the  angle  between  them. 
Henceforth  it  was  easy  enough  to  find  the  length  of  the  base;  the  latter 
represented  the  distance  over  which  they  had  travelled,  and  as  the  time 
occupied  was  carefnlly  kept,  the  daily  drift  of  the  ship  C(udd  be  averaged. 

It  could  not  be  exactly  obtained  in  this  way,  as  tho  drift  might  vary 
from  one  hour  to  another,  but  it  was  near  enough  for  all  pi-actical  pur- 
poses. Similar  observations  wore  made  on  board  the  Ganibetta,  and  at 
hours  different  from  th';se  of  tho  Vivian  /  the  residt  of  the  observations 
was  exchanged  from  time  to  time,  and  careful  comparisons  wore  made. 
The  truth  of  the  old  adage  that  '*  t^vo  heads  are  better  than  one"  was  well 
exemplified  in  this  i;ase. 

Sounding  load.*  and  diedg3s  were  frequently  used  for  ascertaining  the 
character  of  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  and  the  results  of  the  dredging  were 
sometimes  quite  interesting.     Usually  the  dredge  brought  up  nothing  but 


170 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


soft  mild,  but  once  in  a  while  it  revealed  cnrions  forms  of  marine  shells, 
the  most  of  them  so  small  as  to  need  a  microscope  for  their  investigation. 
One  day  a  tiny  branch  of  coral  was  secured,  bnt  whether  it  was  formed 
•where  they  fonnd  it,  or  had  been  drifted  northward  from  warmer  regions, 
nobody  could  tell.  No  fishes  were  caught,  but  for  all  that  there  nn'glit 
have  been  an  abundance  of  them  in  the  water.  It  would  require  a  good 
deal  of  stupidity  as  well  as  sluggishness  for  a  fish  to  be  taken  in  a  dredge 
which  was  moving  so  slowly  as  to  seem  almost  at  rest.  Fred  tried  several 
tiuii  s  to  catch  somethin<>'  on  a  hook  which  he  lowered  through  a  hole 
drilled  in  the  ice,  after  carefully  baiting  it  with  a  piece  of  seal-fat.  But 
his  efforts  were  not  rewarded  with  a  bite,  nor  even  a  nibble. 


liII*^iV:;t 


IN    WINTER    QUARTERS. 

The  depth  of  water  varied  from  thirty-five  to  fifty  fathoms,  being  rare- 
ly less  than  the  former  figure  or  more  than  the  latter.  The  observations 
on  the  depth  of  water  corresponded  very  nearly  with  those  made  on  the 
Jeannette.  It  is  probable  that  the  Arctic  Occ-an  is  nowhere  of  the  great 
depth  of  the  Atlantic  or  the  Pacific,  though  it  nuiy  have  been  much  deep- 
er tlian  at  present  in  ages  long  gone  by.  The  mud  that  forms  the  bottom 
has  been  drifted  down  from  the  numerous  riveis  flowing  into  the  Arctic 
Sea,  and  has  gradually  accumulated,  just  as  the  mud  of  the  Mississij^pi 
River  has  partially  filled  the  Gulf  ot  Mexico. 

Fred  and  George  were  anxious  to  emulate  the  examples  of  other  navi- 
gators and  domesticate  young  seals  and  walruses,  but  they  did  not  have  the 
opportunity.  It  is  doubtful  if  tiiey  could  have  kept  these  strange  pets  for 
any  length  of  time,  as  their  surroundings  were  not  favorable.     A  walrus  or 


A  DANGEROUS  POSITION. 


171 


PERILS   OF  THE    POLAU   SEA. 


172 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


If 


3fi  I      "S? 


seal  in  the  cabin  would  not  have  been  an  agreeable  companion,  while  out- 
side it  would  have  been  liable  to  escape,  or  be  eaten  up  by  the  dogs. 

Xext  to  having  one  of  these  creatures,  George  concluded  he  would  like 
the  skin  of  a  bear  without  a  bullet-hole  in  it.  Now  the  way  has  not  boon 
found  for  shooting  a  bear  without  breaking  his  skin,  and  tlie  youtli  detor- 
luined,  with  the  proper  authority,  to  set  a  trap  for  one.  Permission  was 
readily  given,  on  condition  that  the  trap  should  be  far  enougli  from  the 
ship  to  bo  out  of  reach  of  the  dogs.  It  was  tiiought  that  a  mile  and  a  half 
would  be  a  sufficient  distance,  and  the  trap  was  set  accordingly. 

It  was  one  of  the  largest  bear -traps  sold  in  the  San  Francisco  market, 
and  required  all  the  strength  of  two  men  to  press  the  spring  downward 
far  enough  to  bring  the  catch  into  its  place.  It  was  baited  with  a  piece 
of  seal- meat;  the  snow  and  ice  around  it  were  arranged  to  appear  as 
innocent  and  undisturbed  as  possible,  and  then  the  trappers  returned  to 
the  ship. 

Tlie  next  morning  word  was  brought  to  George  that  a  bear  was  in  the 
trap,  and  that  young  gentleman,  accompanied  by  Fred,  lost  no  time  in 
going  to  look  at  it.  Sure  enough,  a  bear  had  been  taken,  but  he  had  also 
taken  the  trap  {ind  walked  off  with  it.  There  was  a  strong  chain,  about 
two  yards  long,  attached  to  the  trap,  and  at  the  end  of  the  chain  was  a 
"grapple,"  or  three- pronged  hook,  like  the  anchor  for  a  row-boat.  They 
could  see  where  the  chain  had  been  dragged  over  the  ice,  and  '.ad  fre- 
quently caught  and  compelled  the  bear  to  stop  to  disengage  it. 

They  followed  up  the  trail  of  the  chain  with  no  great  difficulty;  some- 
times they  lost  it  for  a  few  minutes,  but  soon  discovered  it  again  through 
the  marks  made  by  the  hook,  and  also  through  occasional  drops  of  blood. 
About  two  miles  from  v.-here  the  trap  had  been  set  the}'  came  up  to  the 
bear,  who  had  become  badly  entangled  and  was  tugging  violently  at  the 
chain  with  his  free  foot.  lie  had  been  caught  by  the  right  fore-foot ;  evi- 
dently he  had  stepped  fully  upon  the  trap,  and  gave  the  jaws  an  excellent 
chance  for  closino;  in  on  him. 

When  they  approached  him  he  growled  fmiously,  and  pulled  harder 
than  ever  in  his  efforts  to  escape.  Thus  pulling,  he  succeeded  in  loosening 
the  chain  from  the  ice,  and  as  soon  as  he  had  done  so  he  performed  one  of 
those  feats  of  intelligence  for  which  the  polar  bear  is  famous. 

Recognizing  that  the  chain  was  the  cause  of  his  frequent  detentions,  he 
stood  upright  on  his  hind -feet  and  gave  the  confined  paw  a  twirl  which 
wound  the  chain  abound  it  close  to  the  trap.  A  foot  or  more  of  the  chain 
hung  down,  and  this  he  seized  in  his  mouth  and  then  started  off  over  the 
ice  as  fast  as  his  three  unencumbered  feet  would  carry  him. 


A  TRIAL  OF  PATIENCE. 


173 


UKIiliM-AND    NATIVE    WATCHING   FOR    A    SEAL. 


174 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


II  l'> 


''•'^  '  ^Jil 


Our  young  friends  looked  on  in  astonishment  at  this  manifestation  of 
sagacity ;  fur  at  least  a  minute  neither  of  them  spoke  or  moved, 

Fi-ed  broke  silence  by  asking  George  what  he  would  do  with  the  skin 
of  that  bear. 

"  Better  catch  it  first,"  was  the  reply ;  "  and  we're  evidently  a  long  way 
vet  from  doin<r  so." 

'•  1  don't  see  how  he  can  be  taken  without  making  a  hole  in  his  skin," 
said  Fred ;  "and  unless  we're  quick  about  it  we  shall  lose  our  trap." 

They  followed  as  fast  as  they  could,  and  luckily  for  them  the  bear 
could  not  make  good  progress  with  one  leg  disabled.  But  they  had  a 
chase  of  at  least  half  an  hour  before  coming  up  to  him ;  he  rose  to  growl 
his  defiance  ar,  them,  and  this  caused  him  to  drop  the  chain,  so  that  at  his 
very  next  step  forward  the  hook  caught  on  the  ice  and  lield  him. 

"Never  mind  the  whole  skin,"  said  George;  "  let  us  finish  him  as  quick 
as  we  can,  and  unless  the  holes  are  too  bad  we  can  sew  them  up." 

The  trap,  with  its  hook  caught  in  the  ice,  served  the  very  important 
])ur})ose  of  preventing  the  bear  fi'om  running  away,  and  also  of  rushing  on 
his  assailants.  Thus  protected  from  danger,  the  young  sportsmen  made 
quick  work  with  their  rifles  at  short  range,  and  gave  an  agreeable  addition 
to  the  stock  of  provisions  on  the  ship. 

On  the  way  back  over  the  ice  George  repeated  a  story,  which  was  first 
told  by  Sir  Francis  M'Clintock,  of  a  native  of  Western  Greenland  who  was 
out  one  day  examining  his  seal-nets.  He  found  a  seal  in  o*>e  of  the  nets, 
and  while  stooping  on  the  ice  over  his  prize  he  received  u  lieavy  slap  on 
the  back.  lie  supposed  it  was  from  his  companion,  and  paid  ik>»  attention 
to  it ;  a  second  and  harder  slap  made  him  look  around,  when  he  found  that 
instead  of  his  coMipanion  it  was  a  grim  old  bear.  The  bear  took  no  fur- 
ther notice  of  the  man,  but  proceeded  to  tear  the  seal  out  of  the  net  and 
eat  it ;  the  native  did  not  stay  to  see  the  end  of  the  meal,  through  fear  that 
the  bear  might  not  be  averse  to  human  flesh,  and  he  had  no  wish  to  serve 
as  an  ursine  j)icce  de  resistance. 

They  met  the  dog-sledges  when  about  half-way  to  the  ship.  Their 
movements  had  been  watched  from  the  cross-trees,  and  as  soon  as  they  had 
despatched  the  bear  the  order  had  been  given  for  the  sledges  to  start  to 
bring  in  the  meat.  Of  course  there  was  no  lack  of  bear-meat  as  long  as  the 
catch  of  tiie  morning  lasted ;  before  it  was  gone  another  bear  was  taken, 
and  from  that  time  onward  they  were  fairly  supplied  with  fresh  provisions. 
There  were  bears,  seals,  and  walruses  in  almost  regular  rotation,  though 
the  youths  thought  that  sometimes  they  stuck  too  long  to  a  single  kind 
without  change ;  but  you  cannot  always  have  your  hunting  as  you  would 


ICEBERG  AND  GLACIER. 


1>'X 
to 


\u-\i  was  first 
and  who  was 
!  of  the  nets, 
leavy  slap  on 

iK->  attention 
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:  the  net  and 
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wish  to  ser\(' 


an 

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F. 
if. 
IS 


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a  single  kind 


11 


17G 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


cr 


like  it,  and  m  this  respect  tliey  were  far  better  off  than  many  arctic  vov- 
agers  who  preceded  them — thanks  to  the  improved  weapons  for  pursuiui; 
lai'ge  game. 

Eacli  day  the  snn  remained  below  tlie  horizon  longer  tlian  on  flic  ])re- 
cedlng  one,  and  in  a  little  while  the  nights  were  longer  than  the  days. 
The  decrease  continned,  and  bv-and-bv  came  the  tinjo  wlien  the  snn  oiih' 
peered  above  the  lino  of  ice  for  a  moment,  and  then  sank  below  it. 
Everybody  was  on  deck  to  see  it,  as  they  all  knew  the  snn  would  not  re- 
appear again  for  nearly  two  months.  The  next  day  there  was  a  lUiish  of 
light  on  the  liorizon,  and  Fred  thought  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  upper 
edge  of  the  orb's  disc,  but  according  to  the  Doctor's  calculation  he  was 
mistaken. 

Even  after  the  sun  failed  to  appear  there  was  a  pei'iod  of  light  every 
day  for  more  than  a  fortnight.  It  was  the  17th  of  November  ujien  they 
had  their  last  view  of  the  sun,  and  the  observations  showed  that  they  wore 
very  near  the  77th  parallel  of  latitude. 

"The  farther  north  you  go,"  said  the  Doctor  to  the  youths,  "the 
sooner  will  the  smi  disapjx^ar  in  the  autumn,  and  the  later  wi.'l  he  re'ui'n 
in  the  spring.  For  example,  M'hen  Captain  Tyson  was  wintering  on  board 
the  Jholaris,  in  latitude  81°  38',  the  sini  disappeared  October  17th,  and  was 
not  visible  for  one  hundred  and  thirty -five  days.  The  following  year, 
M'hile  he  was  drifting  south  on  the  ice-lloe,  and  was  about  latitude  70', 
the  sun  re-api)eared  January  19th,  after  an  absence  of  eighty-tlu-ee  days. 
He  does  not  record  the  day  of  its  disappearance,  which  must  have  been 
farther  to  the  north,  as  the  ice-floe  was  drifting  steadily  southward." 

"The  popular  idea,"  said  George,  "is  that  they  have  six  montlis  of 
day  and  six  months  of  night  at  the  North-pole  every  year." 

"  At  the  pole  itself,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  the  sun  would  have  but  two 
motions  to  the  spectator,  and  the  popular  idea  might  not  be  so  far  out  of 
the  way.  For  six  months  of  the  year  the  sun  would  be  moving  in  a  series 
of  circles  in  the  heavens,  and  then  for  six  months  it  would  make  a  similar 
series  of  circles  below  the  horizon.  There  have  been  interminable  dis- 
cussions on  this  subject,  and  much  divergence  of  opinion,  and  the  only 
wa}'  to  settle  the  question  will  be  for  somebody  to  go  to  the  i)olo  and 
niake  an  observation," 

"I  remember,"  said  Fred,  "a  classmate  of  mine  at  college  who  was 
constantly  bringing  up  a  perplexing  question  for  discussion.  One  of  h\>. 
theories  was  that  there  could  not  be  'sound'  where  there  was  no  ear  to 
hear  it;  and  he  used  to  argue  that  if  a  tree  should  fall  in  a  forest  a  hun- 
dred miles  from  anything  with  ears  no  sound  would  be  produced. 


AN  ARCTIC  EXPLORING  PARTY. 


177 


CAPTAIN    C.  F.  HALL,  WITH   TWO    ESKIMO   COMPANIONS. 


12 


178 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


iii 


I M 


"He  would  argue  that  question  at  great  length,  and  whenever  he  j^tt 
anybody  to  agree  with  him  he  would  shift  to  the  other  side  and  have  the 
discussion  over  again.     Another  question  he  used  to  ask  was, 

"What  would  be  the  latitude  and  longitude  of  a  mail  at  the  Nortii- 
pole,  a:id  his  points  of  compass? 

"No  matter  what  answer  you  made  he  would  dis[)ute  its  correctness, 
and  proceed  to  demonstrate  your  error.  lie  said  he  did  all  this  talking 
in  order  to  make  himself  ready  in  debate,  and  he  kept  it  up  so  constantly 
that  we  all  set  him  down  as  a  nuisance.  We  used  to  ho})e  he  would  go 
to  the  North-pole  and  see  for  himself,  and  nobody  ever  wished  him  to 
hurry  in  coming  back." 

"  But  how  would  we  recognize  the  pole  in  case  we  were  there  ?" 
George  inquired. 

"  That  could  be  done,"  was  the  Doctor's  reply,  "  by  means  of  scieritific 
instruments,  though  some  astronomers  think  otherwise.  Captain  Hall 
was  confident  of  reaching  the  pole  when  he  sailed  on  his  last  expedition. 
and  in  reply  to  the  questions  on  this  sul)ject  he  used  to  say, '  on  reaching 
that  point  called  the  North-pole  the  North-star  will  be  directly  overhead. 
Without  an  instrument,  with  merely  the  eye,  a  man  can  define  his  position 
when  there.  Some  astronomers  tell  me  I  will  find  a  difficultv  in  deter- 
mining  my  position.  It  will  bo  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world.  Suppose 
I  arrive  at  the  North-pole,  and  the  sun  has  descended.  Suppose  there  is 
an  island  at  the  North-pole;  around  it  is  the  sea.  I  see  a  star  upon  the 
horizon.  If  I  were  to  I'emain  a  thousand  years  at  the  pole,  that  star  Mill 
remain  on  the  horizon  without  varying  one  iota  in  height.  Then,  again, 
when  I  am  at  the  pole,  on  the  23d  of  June,  I  take  the  latitude  of  the  sun  : 
just  23^°  high  at  one  and  all  hours.  Five  days  before  the  24th  of 
June,  and  five  days  after,  with  the  finest  instruments  we  have,  you  cannot 
determine  one  iota  of  change.  Therefore,  you  will  see  that  it  is  the  easiest 
thing  in  the  world  to  determi.ie  when  you  arrive  at  the  North-pole.  The 
phenomena  displayed  there  will  be  deeply  interesting,  provided  thei'e  is 
land  there;  and  I  am  satisiied,  from  the  traditions  I  have  learned  from 
the  Eskimos,  that  I  will  find  land  there.' 

"  Captain  Hall  had  not  the  slightest  doubt  that  he  would  be  able  to 
recognize  the  geographical  pole  if  he  once  reached  it,  and  other  explorers 
have  been  equally  certain  of  doing  so.  The  measurements  of  the  angles 
of  certain  stars  with  each  other,  and  with  the  sun  and  moon,  would  be 
the  first  necessities,  and  the  ])osition  of  the  North- star  should  be  care- 
fully observed.  But  the  North -star  would  not  be  directly  overhead,  as 
asserted  by  Captain  Hall,  at  least  not  for  the  astronomer,  though  it  might 


A  TELEGRAPH  LINE  OVER  THE   ICE. 


170 


euffice  for  tlie  inan   iiiii)rovided   with  iiistrunients,  or  igiioiant  of  their 


use." 


One  of  the  youtlis  asked  wliat  was  tlie  exact  position  of  tlie  Xurth-star. 

"Tliat  depends  upon  the  time  of  the  year  and  the  rehitive  positions  of 
tlie  sun  and  earth,"  -vas  the  reply.  "The  polar  star  is  one  of  the  thirty- 
six  fundaniental  stars  used  fcjr  ohservations  by  astronomers  and  naviga- 
tors, and  its  position  at  any  time  of  the  year  is  shown  in  the  "  Nautical 
Almanac."  The  old  astronomers  made  Ion";  cataloi^ues  of  the  stars, 
llipparchns,  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  before  the  Christian  Era,  and 
without  any  instruments  to  aid  him,  composed  a  catalogue  showing  the 
positions  of  nearly  eleven  hundred  stars,  with  their  ascension  and  declen- 
sion. Ptolemy,  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  years  later,  made  a  similar 
and  lai'ger  catalogue,  and  this  was  extended  by  Albatengi,  an  Arab  as- 
tronomer, seven  hundi'ed  and  eighty-three  years  after  Ptolemy.  Thiec  or 
four  other  catalogues  appeared  from  that  time  until  1712,  when  the  cata- 
logue of  Flamsteed,  an  English  a.troncuner,  came  out,  with  an  exact  loca- 
tion of  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  nineteen  stars.  Since  Flanjsteed's 
time  a  good  many  catalogues  have  been  made,  and  now  we  have  the  posi- 
tions of  nearly  a  hundred  thousand  stars  in  both  hemisi)heres.  But,  as  I 
before  said,  the  astronomers  and  navigators  have  settled  upon  thirty-six 
stars  which  are  suflrtcient  for  their  purposes;  every  year  the  nautical  and 
astronomical  almanacs  publish  the  positions,  variations,  ascensions,  and 
longitudes  of  these  stars,  so  that  they  are  ready  for  rise  at  any  moment. 
This  number  is  qjiite  sufficient  for  the  purjioses  of  science  all  over  the 
globe,  or  at  any  rate  to  all  parts  where  man  has  been  able  to  go." 

"Suppose  you  drop  stellar  science  and  come  to  limch,"  said  the  major, 
whose  mind  had  a  practical  turn.  Prompt  assent  was  given  to  his  sug- 
gestion by  a  simultaneous  movement  in  the  direction  of  the  cabin. 

Before  the  sun  went  altogether  below  the  horizon  for  his  hibernation, 
Fred  and  George,  with  the  assistance  of  two  of  the  younger  officers  of  the 
Gambetta,  QveiiteA  a  telegraph  line  between  the  ships,  for  convenience  of 
counnunication  in  case  of  accident  during  the  prolonged  night.  A  com- 
plete apparatus  for  the  telephone  and  telegraph  had  been  brought  by  both 
ships ;  each  had  a  good  supply  of  the  kind  of  wire  used  by  armies  in  the 
field,  and  it  was  arranged  so  that  it  could  be  strung  very  rapidly  on  light 
poles  specially  prepared  for  the  purpose.  The  ships  were  about  a  mile 
apart,  and  the  line  was  easily  set  up  by  fastening  the  poles  in  the  tops  of 
hummocks  along  the  way.  Holes  were  cut  in  the  ice  to  the  depth  of  three 
or  four  inches,  and  then  each  pole  was  firmly  fixed  in  its  place  by  tamping 
the  line  ice  into  the  hole  and  pouring  water  upon  it.     The  telephone  was 


\'U 


180 


THE   VOVAGK    OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


I 


1^ 


rr 


U> 


I  a' 


used  in  profertMico  tc»  the  tulegi'ai>li,  and  it  was  found  that  in  the  dry  air 
of  tlio  aix'tii!  winter  tlio  insulation  was  |KM'fect.  Oi'casionally  the  atmos- 
pheric electricity  pwo  them  some  trouble,  and  doubtless  if  the  lino  had 
been  a  long  one,  the  ditHcnilties  from  this  cause  would  have  been  ^reat. 

The  electricral  conditions  of  the  atmosphere  were  dependent  on  the 
aurora ;  when  the  latter  was  tine  there  was  a  great  deal  of  disturi)ance, 
and  when  there  was  no  aui'oru  there  was  rarely  any  electricity  i)cr(reptible. 
The  Doctor  said  this  was  the  case  in  all  ]>arts  of  the  world,  and  established 
beyond  question  the  cause  of  the  aurora.     Long  before  the  invention  of 


AN    ARCTIC    AURORA. 


the  telegraph  it  had  been  attributed  to  electrical  causes  by  scientific  men  ; 
this  idea  had  been  ridiculed  by  many,  but  since  the  spread  of  the  wires 
over  the  globe,  and  the  observations  in  consequence,  all  opposition  to  it  hud 
ceased. 

Sometimes  for  davs  together  there  was  no  aurora,  and  then  again  it 
woidd  be  almost  continuous  for  a  week  or  more.  Natiwallv  our  vouni^ 
friends  desired  to  investigate  this  phenomenon,  and  asked  the  Doctor 
about  it. 

"  I  am  not  an  authority  on  the  aurora  borealis,  or  northern  lights,"  was 
his  reply, "  and  can  only  give  you  what  others  have  said  on  the  subject. 


TlIK  Al'KOUA    MOHKAI-IH. 


181 


For  centuries  it  lias  been  stiulieil  hv  scientific  men,  and  there  is  no  lonjicr 
any  donbt  that  it  comes  from  electricity." 

"I  suppose  it  is  the  electric  li^ht  pat^siniij  tlir(»ni^h  the  air,"  said  one 
of  the  youths.  '*  It  goes  irregularly,  and  undies  the  wuves  and  Hashes  that 
we  see." 

"According  to  Professor  Loomis  and  others  you  are  wrong,"  replied 
the  Doctor.  "The  professor  says  that  the  light  is  rarely  within  forty-live 
miles  of  the  earth,  and  usually  is  from  one  hundred  to  tive  hundred  miles 
from  it;  consequently  it  is  beyond  our  atm(isi)here,  or  oidy  touches  the 
most  rarefied  i>art  of  it.  He  descu'ibes  (Uie  aurora  that  tilled  all  the  spacu; 
above  the  earth,  beginning  at  furty-tive  miles  distance  and  ending  at  tive 
hundred  miles." 

"  How  do  they  find  that  out?" 

"  l]y  observing  the  points  from  which  an  aurora  is  visible  at  the  same 
time.  These  observations,  when  carefully  noted  and  the  result  computed, 
will  show  the  height  and  extent  of  the  aurora.  For  example,  the  display 
of  August  28,  1850,  was  observed  simultaneously  at  a  great  many  points; 
calculations  showed  that  it  M'as  everywhere  forty-six  miles  from  the  earth, 
and  it  extended  to  a  height  of  five  hundred  and  thirty-four  miles.  The 
linninous  beams  of  light  in  this  aurora  were  five  hundred  miles  lon<^  and 
from  tive  to  fifty  miles  in  diameter.  Other  auroras  have  been  measured 
in  the  same  waj',  and  the  average  height  assigned  to  them  is  four  hundred 
and  fifty  miles," 

"But  I've  seen  the  aurora  behind  the  hills  at  home,"  said  Fred, "  and 
even  hero  we  see  it  close  to  the  horizon." 

"Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "and  you  see  the  sun  on  tlic  horizon,  or  set- 
ting or  rising  behind  the  hills.  But  do  you  suppose  it  is  any  nearer  the 
earth  for  that  reason  than  when  it  is  high  in  the  heavens?" 

Fred  admitted  that  his  argmnent  was  fallacious,  and  that  the  appear- 
ance of  the  aurt)ra  ner.r  the  earth  was  in  appearance  only.  The  Doctor 
explained,  however,  that  sometimes  on  rare  occasions  the  aurora  might 
come  within  a  few  miles  of  the  earth,  but  thus  far  no  observer  had  ever 
discovered  it  within  the  highest  range  of  the  clouds. 

"The  farther  north  you  go,"  said  Dr.  Tonner, "  the  more  brilliant  are 
the  auroras,  at  least  in  the  Western  Ilemispliere.  The  ])henomena  prevail 
more  in  America  than  in  Northern  Europe  and  Asia;  they  cover  a  large 
area  of  the  heavens,  but  seem  to  be  ?nore  numerous  in  the  region  of  the 
magnetic  polo  than  anywhere  else.  In  the  Southern  Hemisphere  there  is 
a  similar  display  known  as  the  aurora  australis. 

"  As  to  their  electrical  origin  we  have  other  proofs  than  the  effect  on 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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1.8 


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Hiotogr^hic 

Sciences 

Corporalion 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14SS0 

(716)873-4503 


<^ 


182 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


the  niagtieti'c  needle  and  the  telegraph  wires.     The  auroral  flashes  are  the 
Bunie  as  tliose  of  a  spark  of  electricity  sent  through  rarefied  air  or  through 


GKOGRAPUICAL   DItiTKlUUTlON    OP   AURORAS. 


a  vacuum.  The  fluorescence  of  the  electric  light  is  repeated  in  the  aurora, 
and  also — " 

"  I  beg  pardon  for  interrupting,"  said  George, "  but  what  is  meant  by 
fluorescence  ?" 

"There  are  certain  substances,"  was  the  reply, "that  seem  perfectly 
transparent  when  seen  in  the  solar  light,  but  if  you  illumine  them  with  an 


tr«  ii 


THE   USES  OF  ELECTRICITY. 


183 


aurora, 


electric  simrk  tliey  appear  to  be  self-limiinoiis.  AV^heii  these  substances  are 
illuiniiied  by  the  auroral  light  they  present  the  same  appearance  as  though 
charged  from  an  electrical  machine.     This  property  is  called  fluorescence. 

"  Electricity  develops  heat,"  contiiuied  the  Doctor,  "  when  it  passes 
through  poor  condiictors,  like  wood  and  paper.  In  several  instances  the 
auroral  influence  has  set  Are  to  these  substances,  and  the  experiment  has 
been  made  so  often  as  to  be  well  known  to  all  scientists.  In  fact,  all  the 
effects  of  electricity  have  been  obtained  from  the  aurora — such  as  working 
telegraph  instruments,  making  sparks  of  light,  giving  shocks  to  the  animal 
system,  and  developing  magnetism  in  soft  iron." 

"But  where  does  this  electricity  come  from?"  inquired  one  of  the  lis- 
teners.    "Thero  must  be  a  vast  storehouse  or  factory  for  it  somewhere." 

"  That  is  yet  a  conundrum,"  the  Doctor  answered.  "  Some  have  sup- 
])0sed  that  the  earth  becomes  char<;ed  with  electricity  to  such  a  dei;ree  that 
it  cannot  longer  retain  it;  the  surplus  is  thrown  off^,  and  it  is  the  discharge 
of  this  electricity  that  makes  the  aurora.  It  has  been  observed  that  the 
prevalence  of  auroras  is  in  exact  proportion  to  the  presence  or  absence  of 
spots  on  the  sun ;  when  there  are  nmny  spots  there  are  numerous  auroras, 
and  when  the  sun  is 
fi'ee  of  spots  there  are 
few  or  none  of  them. 
Then,  too,  the  influence 
of  the  positions  of  other 
planets  has  been  noted, 
and  the  whole  subject 
id  full  of  mysteries  and 
speculations." 

"  We  are  getting 
into  deep  water,"  said 
George,  "  or  rather  we 
should  be  if  there  was 
less  ice  about  us.  When 
we  have  time  to  spare 
we  will  set  about  devis- 
ing a  machine  where- 
by the  electricity  of  the 

aurora  borealis  may  be  harnessed,  and  made  to  do  duty  in  a  practical 
\\'A\ .  We  will  make  it  run  the  dynamos  to  supply  our  houses  and  streets 
with  electric  light;  it  shall  propel  our  machinery,  and  thus  take  the  place 
of  steam ;  it  shall  be  used  for  forcing  our  gardens,  in  the  way  that  elec- 


FKICD  S   ELECTRIC    NURSERY. 


W 


f 


Hi 


184 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE    "VIVIAN." 


tricity  Is  supposed  to  make  pluiits  grow;  and  it  sliall  develop  the  brains 
of  our  statesmen  and  legislators,  to  nuike  them  wiser  and  better  and  of 
more  practical  use  than  they  are  at  i>resent.  liens  shall  lay  more  eggs, 
cows  must  give  cream  in  place  of  milk,  trees  shall  bear  fruit  of  gold  or 
silver,  tear-drops  shall  be  diamonds,  and  the  rocks  of  the  fields  shall  be- 
come alabaster  or  amber.  Wonderful  things  will  be  done  when  we  get 
the  electricity  of  the  aurora  under  our  control." 

"Yes,"  responded  Fred,  "  babies  shall  be  taken  from  the  nursery  and 
reared  on  electricity,  which  will  be  far  more  nutritious  than  their  ordinary 
food.  When  tiie  world  is  filled  with  giants  nourished  from  the  aurora, 
the  ordinary  mortal  will  tremble.  We'll  think  it  over,  and  see  what  we 
can  do." 

And  with  this  cautious  suggestion  the  conversation  was  changed  to  a 
more  commonplace  topic. 


ARCUiCS   or   AURORAL   LIQUT. 


ARCTIC  OBSERVATORIES. 


185 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

CHRISTMAS  AND  NEW-YEAR  FESTIVITIES— MUSICAL  ENTERTAINMENTS.— THE 

"GAMBETTA"  ON  FIRE. 

Tj^ORTUNE  favored  our  friends  in  wind  and  weather.  Tiie  beginning 
-*-  of  the  arctic  winter  was  a  period  of  intense  cold,  but  unaccompanied 
by  winds ;  consequently  the  ice  formed  to  a  great  depth,  and  was  pcn-fectly 
solid  for  many  miles  around.  For  two  or  three  weeks  after  they  entered 
the  ice,  and  before  it  attained  its  winter  thickness,  there  were  frequent 
alarms  that  the  floes  were  crushing  and  grinding  together;  but  before  the 
beijinning  of  December  tiiere  was  little  fear  on  this  account.  Holes  were 
drilled  in  many  places  within  a  mile  or  more  of  the  ships,  for  the  purpose 
of  ascertaining  the  thickness  of  the  ice;  in  no  place  was  it  less  than  thirty 
feet,  and  in  several  localities  it  measured  nearly  forty.  Fred  thought  there 
was  not  the  least  danger  of  breaking  through,  and  he  regretted  greatly  that 
the  surface  was  not  smooth  enough  for  skating,  even  if  the  intense  cold 
would  render  that  amusement  possible. 

Observatories  were  established  a  little  distance  from  the  ship,  and  on 
each  side  of  it,  in  order  to  keep  a  record  of  the  cold.  At  each  observatory 
tiiere  was  a  thermouieter,  graduated  to  tenths  of  a  degree,  and  an  anemom- 
eter by  which  the  direction  and  velocity  of  the  wind  could  be  noted.  Both 
observatories  were  visited  every  four  hours,  and  this  duty  was  divided  be- 
tween the  major  and  the  Doctor — the  former  assisted  by  George  and  the 
latter  by  Fred.  A  lantern  of  the  "bull's-eye"  pattern  was  carried  by  the 
observer  on  his  round,  and  the  rays  of  this  lantern,  projected  on  the  scale 
of  the  thermometer,  enabled  him  to  read  it  without  approaching  near 
enough  to  affect  the  instrument  by  his  presence.  It  was  not  an  easy  mat- 
ter to  nuike  entries  in  a  note-book  when  clad  in  heavy  furs,  and  with  the 
hands  encased  in  mittens,  and  Fred  set  his  wits  to  work  to  devise  a  more 
convenient  mode  of  making  his  records. 

Taking  an  alpenstock,  or  ice-staff,  he  niarked  upon  it  the  degrees  which 
were  likely  to  comprise  all  the  variations  of  the  thermometer,  and  also  a 
single  degree  divided  into  tenths.  Then  lie  arranged  sliding  rings  or 
hoops  which  could  move  freely  up  or  down  the  staff,  but  were  held  firmly 


1    I 


t  i 

'i  ,  I 


i 


1^ 


186 


THE   VOYAGE   OF   THE    "VIVIAN." 


in  place  by  means  of  little  knobs  on  the  inside,  passim^  through  a  slot  in 
the  wood.  Similar  rings  were  arranged  for  the  points  of  compass  and  the 
velocity  (»f  the  wind,  and  by  means  of  these  rings  the  whole  record  of  ;i 
visit  to  one  of  the  observatories  could  l)e  taken.  A  staff  was  arranged  for 
each  observatory,  but  it  was  found  rather  burdensome  to  carry  two  of  these 
aids  to  the  memory,  and  they  settled  down  upon  one.  For  the  thermonict- 
rical  readings  a  third  ring  was  added,  to  show  the  variation  between  the 


A   POLAR   BEAR   FAILING  TO   8EE  THE  POINT. 


m\i 


two  instruments,  which  rarely  exceeded  one  or  two  tenths  of  a  degree, 
while  the  record  of  the  anemometer  was  made  on  a  shorter  staff,  that  was 
carried  at  the  waist  like  a  policeman's  club.  The  staff,  or  alpenstock,  was 
of  material  assistance  in  going  over  the  ice  in  the  arctic  darkness,  and  it 
might  serve  as  a  weapon  of  defence,  better  ':han  nothing  at  all,  in  case  of 
interference  by  a  bear. 

"  In  case  you  meet  a  bear,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  and  he  shows  no  disposi- 
tion to  retreat,  your  best  plan  will  be  to  hold  your  alpenstock  like  a  spear, 


MELTING  SNOW  TO  OIITAIN  WATKR. 


187 


and  let  liiiii  come  on.  Munv  a  bear  has  riislied  to  his  tlentli  iji  this  wav. 
It  requires  a  j^ooil  deal  of  nerve  to  meet  him  with  no  better  weapon  than 
this,  and  I  sincerely  hope  the  emergency  may  never  occur. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  favorite  methods  of  huntini'  the  bear  in  Norway ; 
the  principal  danger  arises  from  the  ability  of  the  animal  to  turn  the  sj)ear 
aside,  which  he  can  do  with  a  single  blow  of  his  tremendous  i)aw.  The 
Norwegian  hunter  generally  manages  to  get  him  so  etu'aged  that  he  is 
wholly  occupied  with  rushing  upon  his  intended  victim,  regardless  of  the 
consequences.'' 

Fresh  water  for  the  use  of  the  ship's  company  was  obtained  by  melting 
snow,  and  great  care  was  exercised  to  preve.it  its  mingling  with  the  salt 
of  the  ice.  Whenever  there  was  a  fresh  fail  of  snow  all  hands  were  set 
to  work  to  pile  it  up  for  future  use,  and  for  this  pui-j)ose  all  that  gathered 
on  the  roof  of  the  deck-house  and  away  from  the  lloe-ice  was  preserved. 
Snow  in  the  arctic  regions  is  generally  like  line  sand;  the  intense  cold 
causes  the  moisture  to  congeal  in  the  smallest  particles,  and  not  in  the 
form  in  which  we  usually  find  it  in  the  Northern  States.  "  Goose-feather 
snow"  is  unusual  in  the  Arc- 
tic Circle,  except  in  the  sum- 
mer mon'.s. 

The  uses  of  steam  on 
board  the  Vivian  were  vari- 
ous. The  cabin  and  the  quar- 
ters of  the  men  were  warmed 
by  it,  the  ship  having  been 
fitted  with  steam-pipes  and 
radiators  for  this  purpose. 
When  it  had  performed  this 
work,  it  escaped  into  a  large 
tub  that  was  always  kept 
full  of  snow  to  be  melted,  as 
already  mentioned;  another 
tub,  where  the  steam  was 
occasionally  turned,  was  used 

for  softenins  the  food  of  the  dogs,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  brutes 
would  have  passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  engineer  of  t'le  Vivian  if  the 
subject  had  been  brought  to  their  comprehension.  The  Is^.st  of  the  wal- 
ruses which  were  taken  before  the  ice  closed  for  the  winter  were  piled 
up  near  the  ship,  and  from  time  to  time  huge  chunks  were  chopi^cd  out 
with  axes  and  taken  to  the  softening  tub  for  the  dogs.     In  its  frozcti 


THE  OLD  WAY  OP  VELTINO   SNOW. 


i  I 


:'■    "     I 


■??•• 


v.i 


188 


THE   VOYAGE  OP  THE  "VIVIAN." 


condition,  and  \\U]\  the  skin  perfccttly  solid,  it  was  safo  from  their  attacks. 
A  frozen  walrus  liido  is  about  as  easy  of  j)cnotration  as  a  plate  of  iron, 
and  the  doj^s  never  attempted  to  gnaw  it;  hut  they  kept  a  careful  watch 
over  the  deposit,  and  whenever  the  inen  went  to  chop  out  a  supply  of 
food  for  them,  they  were  in  a  state  of  great  impatience  until  it  was  served. 

Visits  wer'5  frerpiently  exchanged  between  the  Vivian  and  (riunbettn, 
and  the  tele[)hone  was  in  daily  use.  As  the  end  of  JJecember  approached, 
preparations  were  made  for  celebrating  that  event,  and  also  for  a  festivity 
on  New-year's  Day.  It  was  arranged  that  Cai)tain  (iirard  and  some  of 
his  officers  would  eat  their  Christmas  dinner  on  the  Vivian^  and  that  they 
should  give  a  return  entertainment  on  New-year's  Eve. 

In  spite  of  the  disadvantages  of  the  surroundings,  Fred  and  George 
determined  to  have  a  Christmas-tree,  and  readily  obtained  the  ])ermission 
of  Commander  I3ronson  to  get  it  up.  Trees  were  not  to  be  found  near 
their  residence,  atid  the  forest  was  too  far  off  to  be  invaded.  George 
thought  the  best  aees  they  could  get  would  be  the  cross-trees ;  but  these 
were  nnhoppily  too  high  in  air  for  their  purpose.  They  managed  to 
improvise  a  tree  by  providing  limbs  for  a  small  log  recently  found  on  the 
ice  and  brought  to  the  ship  by  one  of  the  hunting  parties.  Holes  were 
bored  in  the  log  for  the  insertion  of  sticks  which  served  as  limbs;  the  ends 
of  the  sticks  were  festooned  with  strips  of  bear  and  seal  skin,  together 
with  bits  of  canvas  and  kindred  thitjgs.  George  had  prepared  some 
oakum  fiom  old  rope,  which  would  have  decorated  the  tree  very  well,  but 
lie  was  restrained  by  Cajitain  Jones  from  using  such  inflammable  mate- 
rial. The  captain  had  a  wholesome  and  proper  dread  of  tire,  and  was  not 
slow  to  see  the  risk  they  would  run  in  trimming  their  Christmas-tree 
with  oakum  pickings ;  hence  the  less  dangerous  substances,  although  less 
picturesque. 

The  number  of  candles  was  limited  to  twelve,  and  as  a  matter  of  precau- 
tion a  man  was  stationed  l)v  the  tree  with  a  bucket  of  water,  to  be  thrown 
over  it  in  case  of  fire.  Presents  were  hung  to  the  limbs  or  piled  at  the 
foot  of  the  tree,  which  was  set  in  a  thick  plank  at  the  end  of  the  Vivian  « 
cabin.  Everybody  leceived  something,  and  to  make  the  occasion  as  mucli 
as  possible  like  a  Christmas  at  home,  a  box  of  goods  originally  intended 
for  trading  purposes  among  the  Ind1  ns  was  opened  and  distributed. 
Gaudy  handkerchiefs  were  received  by  sevei-al  of  the  men,  and  sheath- 
knives,  pocket-mirrors,  combs,  and  kindred  things  by  others.  Christmas 
cards  were  sent  to  Commander  Bronsou,  Major  Clapp,  and  the  Doctor, 
while  Captain  Jones  was  made  happy  with  a  picture  of  part  of  the  upper 
rigging  of  a  ship  with  the  crow's-nest.     On  the  sails  of  the  ship  were  in- 


CHRISTalAS  rUKSENTS. 


189 


scribed  the  words, "  Voyage  in  Sciirdi 
of  Sir  John  Franklin;"  the  captain 
having  freqnently  remarked  that  they 
lioped  to  come  npon  fresh  traces  of  the 
work  of  tliat  nnfortunate  navigator  of 
the  arctic  regions. 

Jack  and  his  fellow-musicians  play- 
ed their  liveliest  airs  as  the  curtain  was 
removed  from  the  tree,  and  (ieorge,  in 
the  character  of  Santa  Clans,  distributed 
the  gifts.  All  the  officers  of  the  Viv- 
iim,  with  t]»e  exception  of  the  one  in 
charge  of  the  deck,  were  present  at  the  unveiling  of  the  tree;  the  men 
were  admitted  in  groui)s  of  four  to  receive  what  the  youths  liad  prepared 
fur  them.  At  four  o'clock  the  ceremonies  ended,  and  then  the  cabin 
was  cleared,  as  the  guests  from  the  Gamhetta  were  due  an  hour  later. 

Christmas  cards  were  hung  on  the  tree  for  the  visitors,  and  then  the 
veil  was  drawn  again.  As  the  guests  arrived,  each  was  provided  with  a 
button-hole  bouquet  made  of  tissue-paper  and  fastened  to  a  wooden  tooth- 
pick. 

Dinner  passed  off  pleasantly,  and  there  was  a  great  deal  of  conversa- 
tion about  home  and  home  scenes  at  that  time  of  the  year.     At  a  signal 


TIIK    CAPTAIN  S   SOUVENIR  OF   CHRISTMAS. 


* 
tv 


w 


I'JU 


Tin:  voYAiii:  OF  Till:  'VIViax.' 


'1?^ 


from  tlie  civiitiilii  the  iiiusiciiuis  were  slip^ted  into  tlieir  pliiees  so  qiiietlv 
that  the  ujiiests  did  not  see  them. 

"  Whut  a  i)itv  it  in,"  said  Captain  (lirard,  "  that  we  have  no  forest  here, 
and  cannot  have  an  arhtr  d<-  Xo','1^  what  yon  eall  'Christmas-tree/" 

"  \'es,"  replied  (-ommaniU'r  Ihoiisoii,  "  hnt  we  ean't  expect  the  comforts 
of  the  ci\  ili/ed  world  while  shut  up  here  in  the  ice." 

Geori^e  and  Fred  had  carelessly  left  their  seats  a  moment  hefore,  ami 
waited  a  8i«^n  from  their  chief.  Ab  the  hitter  Ihiiahed  hie  response  to  the 
French  captain  he  nodded. 

Down  came  the  curtain,  the  candles  were  lii::hted  in  a  few  seconds,  the 
music  stru(^lv  up  a  lively'  air,  and  to  tlic  astonishment  of  the  visitors  they 
had  an  arbre  de  Xo'il  before  them  ! 

The  Frenchmen  rose  from  their  seats  and  gave  a  rin<:fini;  ])laudit  for 
the  Christmas-tree,  which  had  taken  them  so  cttmpletely  l»y  surp»'ise.  Then 
the  cards  tliat  had  been  pre[)ared  for  them  were  liandcd  aiound ;  each  card 
hore  the  post-mark  of  Paris  oidy  one  day  before,  and  (tonscipiently  the  en- 
thusiasm of  the  recipients  increased. 

Then  there  were  songs  in  French  and  songs  in  English,  and  songs  in 
botli  Languages  at  once.  One  of  the  Frenchmen  lecited  scmiio  verses  dT 
IV'ranger,  and  another  gave  a  sele(;tion  froui  one  of  the  stately  poems  of 
Victor  lingo.  The  Christmas  punch  was  brought  in  by  the  steward,  and 
as  it  was  placed  on  the  table,  (Jeorgo  recited  a  portion  of  the  lines  of  Dr. 
Holmes,  "On  Lending  a  Punch-bowl."     lie  began  with  the  stanza, 


"  'Twas  on  a  dreary  wintoi's  eve,  the  nij^lit  was  closing  illm, 
When  old  Milea  Standish  took  the  bowl  and  filled  it  to  tlie  brim. 
The  little  eaptain  stood  and  stirred  the  posset  with  his  sword, 
And  all  his  sturdy  nien-at-arins  were  ranged  around  the  board." 


In  this  way  the  Christmas  in  the  Arctic  Ocean  was  prolonged  to  a 
late  hour.  When  the  officers  of  the  Garnhetta  returned  to  the  ship  it  re- 
quired several  minutes  to  muster  the  sailors  who  had  accomp.anied  them ; 
the  Clnistmas  in  the  forecastle  had  been  qu.te  as  jolly  as  the  one  in  the 
cabin,  and  the  men  of  two  nations  were  in  no  hurry  to  separate. 

For  another  week  things  went  on  quietly  enough,  and  then  came  the 
festivity  on  board  the  Garnhetta.  All  who  had  taken  part  in  the  enter- 
tainment of  the  officers  of  the  French  ship  were  invited  to  dinner,  and  it 
was  annonnced  that  there  would  be  a  musical  entertainment  afterwards, 
for  which  Captain  Jones  was  requested  to  grant  leave  to  as  many  of  his 
crew  as  could  be  spared  from  duty. 

The  dinner  must  have  taxed  the  ijenius  of  the  steward  and  cook  of  the 


NKW-VKAIf'S    HAY   ON   Till:   '•  (iAMUKTIA." 


101 


(iamheita ^  imkUt  tlio  (MriMiiiistimcos  it  wu.s  a  jjastnmomic  Kiirpiisr,  uimI 
t'vokcd  the  luliiiinitioii  of  all  \\\v.  <riH'sts.  Outof  tlir  matcriiils  at  tlioir  <'(»m- 
niiiiul  they  hud  iiiiule  a  (litiiiei'  which  would  do  honor  to  Wd'oiif  or  the  6'//" 
IiU'h(\,\\\\y\  so  neatly  had  they  disj^iiised  the  familiar  hear  and  seal  that  no- 
hody  could  <j;uess  at  their  eharaeter.     Conunander  IhonsoP  retnaiked  that 


'TIIK    LITTLE   CAPTAIN 


sTinnKD  THE  rosiitT  with  his  swtun.' 


if  good  dinners  could  take  an  explorer  to  the  pole,  the  French  would  have 
discovered  it  lonjr  aire 

The  entertainment  was  given  in  the  house  on  dec^k,  as  there  was  not 
room  for  it  anywhere  below%  The  deck-house  was  lighted  with  lanterns 
and  festooned  with  flags,  and  there  was  an  attemj)t  to  represent  trees  by 
means  of  green  cloth  stretched  over  fantastic  frames.  Two  of  the  officers 
of  the  Gambetta  were  quite  skilful  with  the  pencil  and  brush,  and  had  pre- 


l!»li 


Tin:  v(>YA(ii:  OK  Tin:  "Vivian." 


ll 


H  rt 


\m\vi\  Boino  <li'a\vin^rt  on  a  liiri^c^  sciilf,  wliieli  wcro  fiistcMicd  to  tlio  wnlh 
wlicrevfi*  tin*  I'^l't  ^^'W  l)ost.  I'Ik'V  rcprcsriittvl  lioiiiu  sroiics  of  the  iNcw 
Year,  and  ahsoilK-d  tlie  atti'Utioii  ol'  \\n>.  visitois  for  Kintiral  niiinitcrt. 

Of  coiu'sc  it  was  iinpoxKildo  to  lii-at  tlu!  dcclv-lioiir^n  lik(^  tliotiaMii  Iwlow, 
and  tlu'irfori;  tliu  wliolu  party  donni'il  its  furs  licfon;  /^'oini^  tlicn;.  Scuts 
had  been  idaccd  for  cnNTtainiTs  and  ;^iu'sts  in  front,  of  tlu!  Ktai;t',  wiiicli 
(■on^is^('d  of  a  raised  |ilutforni  close  to  tlu>  niain-niast ;  tin;  rest  of  tlu;  spacH! 
was  devoted  to  "standing-room  oidy"  for  tlio  (trews  of  tlio  two  Hlii|K. 

Inasnineh  as  onlv  a  few  of  the  visitors  nndtM'stood  French,  and  there- 
fore  dialo<;n(;  wonid  be  tedii>Ms,  tlu;  entertaiinnent  was  u  tniisieal  one;  it 
consisted  of  a  liu'it  operotta  ("6^/1  Jour  (/<•  luti")  of  one  act  and  four 
characters,  tlu;  latter  played  by  thnu;  of  the;  jnnior  oflicerrt  and  one  of  tlic 
yonn^er  sailors.  The  sailor  was  made  np  as  a  jrirl,  whoso  mother  was  per- 
sonated by  one  (d"  the  oflicers;  coiisiderintj  all  the  disadvantai^es  (d"  the  sit- 
uation, the  "makeup"  was  (piite  snccessfnl.  The  fcminini!  costume  was 
donned  outside  a  suit  of  fur;  but  tht;  latter  had  been  made  of  S(piiri'el-skin 
and  fitted  (doselv,  so  that  it  tlid  not  add  to  the  st(tntness  of  the  wearers  to 
any  disagreeable  extcMit.  The  mas(rnline  costumes  were  also  iilled  with 
fms,  and  as  tlieir  wearers  were  naturally  of  «'oodlv  size  tho  effect  was 
ludicrous;  but  since  the  operetta  was  a  comic  one,  anythiii<;  that  added 
to  the  hihirity  was  not  objectionable. 

Tho  thermometor  was  about  ten  dei^rocs  below  zero,  Fahreulieit,  in  the 
temporary  theatre,  and  tho  breath  of  tho  audience  rose  like  a  chuid  of 
steam.  Frost  gathered  on  the  li[)s  of  tho  performers,  and  several  times  it 
choked  their  utterance;  tho  girl  in  the  play  carried  a  l'a!i,  but  she  had 
little  use  for  it,  and  tho  same  was  tho  case  with  the  parasol  in  her  nu)tlier"s 
hands.  jNIothcr  and  daughter  kissed  onco  in  the  course  <d'  tho  })erform- 
anco,  and  their  lips  ran  a  narrow  risk  of  l)eing  frozen  together.  Tho 
audience  applauded  freely,  perhaps  from  a  desire  to  keep  warm,  and  alto- 
gether the  poifornjanco  went  off  merrily.  Tho  (juartotto  of  voices  was  by 
no  means  a  ba<l  one,  and  our  friends  of  the  Vivian  felt  themselves  more 
than  rejiaid  for  their  efforts  at  Christnuis. 

The  operetta  was  soon  over,  and  then  followed  a  dance.  There  was 
no  fear  of  being  overheated,  and  everybody  exorcised  to  the  full  ability  of 
his  limbs.  It  was  so  late  that  wo  dare  nctt  tell  the  hoin*  when  the  boat- 
swain called  "Vivians  away!"  and  tho  visitors  returned  to  their  ship. 

A  week  later  the  officers  and  part  of  the  crew  of  tho  Gainbettd  were 
invited  to  an  entertainment  on  board  tho  Vivian.  They  accepted,  and 
came  promptly  to  find  the  deck-house  decorated  and  lighted  as  their  own 
had  been  on  the  New-year  festivities,  and,  fortunately  for  them,  a  fall  in 


nn:i)'H  joki:  in  tiik  i'i;urnuMAN(  k. 


1. 


tlio  tCMupj'mtun'  li;i<l  iicwlc!  tlio  place  <piit(!  fdtnfortaltk'.  TIh!  riitiTtiiiii- 
iiiuiit  cDinpi'isnl  ii  iiiiiistrcl  pcrfoniijitici',  in  wliicli  oiir  yoiini;  IVicndrt  liiul  n 
proiiiiiu'iit  part  mid  \vcri>  assisted  liy  tlu;  vocal  and  iiistnitnciital  iiitiHici:iim 
t)t'  tliu  crow.     'I'lioii  two  of  tliu  sailors  who  had  hccii  trained  to  acruhatiu 


'  §M 


PKKKOIIMANCK    OS    TIIK    "VIVIAN. 


performances  amused  the  company  hy  tnrninj^  somersaults,  balancing  can- 
nun-shot  on  their  arms  and  iieads,  and  going  through  other  evolutions  pe- 
culiar to  the  circus.  A  joke  arranged  hy  Fred  was  perpetrated  at  the 
close  of  the  "ground  and  lofty  tumbling"  whicih  produced  a  momentary 
panic,  and  then  set  everybody  in  a  roar  of  laughter. 

Part  of  the  performance  consisted  in  handling  a  fifty-six  pound  weight 
as  though  it  were  the  merest  trifle ;  and  to  prove  that  there  was  no  decep- 

13 


194 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


m^ 


m- 


A^»C 


tion,  the  weight  was  passed  around  in  the  audience  before  and  after  beiiiij 
handled  by  the  acrobat. 

When  he  was  through  with  the  weight,  tlie  performer  aUowed  it  to  fall 
on  the  stage  with  a  Ijeavy  thud,  close  to  the  screen  at  one  side ;  tlien  iio 
threw  a  somersault,  wliile  his  companion  essayed  certain  tricks  with  tlu; 
cannon-ball.  Attention  being  thus  drawn  from  tlio  fifty-six  pound  weight, 
it  was  skilfully  removed  and  a  pasteboard  imitation  took  its  place. 

Tlien  the  performer  picked  up  the  weight  again  and  tied  a  small  rope 
to  it;  by  means  of  the  rope  he  whirled  it  in  the  air  precisely  as  though  ir 
had  been  a  solid  mass  of  iron ;  then,  as  if  by  accident,  it  slipped  from  his 


George's  "punch  and  judy." 

hand  and  went  flying  over  the  audience.  Heads  were  "ducked,"  and 
there  was  a  sigh  of  alarm  from  several  mouths ;  the  sigh  was  changed  to 
laughter  when  the  weight  was  returned  to  its  place  b}'  means  of  the  rope, 
in  which  a  strip  of  India-rubber  had  been  concealed.  Nobody  was  hurt 
except  by  the  expansion  of  ribs,  produced  by  excessive  mirth. 

Then  George  gave  a  short  exhibition  of  a  Punch  and  Judy  show.  His 
imitation  of  the  time-honored  amusement  of  London  children  was  admira- 
ble, and  as  a  part  of  it  was  given  in  French,  he  secured  the  earnest  ap- 
plause of  all  the  visitors.  Then  there  was  a  dance^  ?.nd  after  two  houre  of 
fun  the  audience  dispersed.  ..  ..... 


% 


THE   "GAMBETTA"  ON  FIRE. 


195 


The  next  week  there  was  a  return  entertainment  on  the  Gambetta,  and 
every  week  during  their  liibernation  wlien  the  weather  i^erniitted,  and  as 
long  as  communication  was  feasible  over  the  ice,  ^;here  was  something 
amusing  on  one  of  the  ships.  There  was  a  good-natured  rivalry  between 
them, and  each  trie(i  to  have  something  that  would  interest  the  other;  it 
was  not  easy  to  do  this  when  the  difficulties  of  language  were  to  be  con- 
sidered, and  the  success  of  tiie  enterprise  showed  a  great  deal  of  ingenuity 
on  the  part  of  all  concerned.  Music,  jugglery,  and  pantomime  were  the 
principal  features  of  the  performances,  and  to  these  may  be  added  displays 
of  the  magic  lantern  and  occasional  ex])eriments  in  chemistry. 

One  night,  while  the  people  of  the  Vivian  were  entertaining  their 
friends  from  the  (rainbetta,  there  was  a  sudden  interruption. 

The  bell  of  the  telephone  sounded,  and  the  cabin  steward  called  Fred 
to  see  what  was  wanted.  As  soon  as  he  had  placed  his  ear  to  the  instru- 
ment he  heard  the  appalling  words, 

"Ze  (iavihetta  est  en  feu  T — ("The  Gambetta  is  on  fire!") 

Fred  ran  to  Commander  Bronson  with  the  news,  and  the  latter  imme- 
diately informed  his  visitors.  Of  course  the  performance  closed  at  once, 
the  men  went  to  their  quarters,  and  Captain  Girard  and  his  officers  and 
crew  started  with  all  speed  for  their  ship.  Commander  Bronson  tendered 
the  services  of  his  men,  and  at  once  prepared  to  follow  to  the  endangered 
vessel. 

Everything  was  done  in  order,  and  without  any  excitement  whatever. 
There  was  excellent  discipline  on  board  both  the  ships,  and  every  man  fell 
at  once  into  his  place.  The  relief  party  included  Commander  Bronson, 
the  first  officer  of  the  Vivian^  two  petty  officers.  Dr.  Tonuer  and  George, 
together  with  ten  men  from  tlie  crew.  They  followed  closely  on  the  steps 
of  the  GanibettcCs  men,  and  were  at  the  side  of  that  ship  not  more  than  a 
couple  of  minutes  behind  them.  The  men  brought  axes  and  fire-buckets 
from  the  Vivian^  and  Dr.  Tcjimer  was  provided  with  whatever  might  be 
needed  for  the  relief  of  the  men  of  either  crew  who  should  be  overcome 
by  the  smoke  or  flame,  or  exhausted  in  the  efforts  of  controlling  the  fire. 

Smoke  was  pouring  from  the  ventilating  shaft  in  the  top  of  the  deck- 
house, and  as  they  entered  the  door-way  leading  from  the  gang-plank  into 
the  covered  space  on  deck,  the  cloud  was  of  almost  stifling  thickness.  Cap- 
tain Girard  and  his  party  were  already  below. 

The  deck  was  in  charge  of  a  petty  officer  and  one  man,  all  the  rest  be- 
ing below  endeavoring  to  suppress  the  conflagration  Commander  Bron- 
son sent  his  compli.nents  to  Captain  Girard,  and  asked  if  he  and  his  men 
could  be  of  service;  the  answer  was  returned  that  they  could  do  nothing 


\\\ 


'1 


190 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


below  for  the  monieut,  as  the  GambettcCs  crew  was  filling  all  the  workiiiL' 
space.  As  a  matter  of  precaution  it  was  desirable  to  remove  the  stores 
that  were  kept  always  ready  in  the  deck-house,  and  the  Viviati's  party  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  perform  this  service. 

Boxes  and  barrels  were  thrown  down  the  gang-plank  by  some  of  tlic 
men,  while  the  others  slid  them  along  im;  ice  to  a  place  of  safety,  in  case 
the  ship  should  be  bm-ned.  The  work  was  performed  with  great  rapidity, 
and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  deck  was  pretty  well  cleared.  The  pack- 
ages had  been  previously  arranged  in  such  a  manner  that  they  could  be 
hastily  removed  in  case  of  necessity.  The  same  precaution  was  observed 
on  iheVlvian,  and  in  thus  acting,  the  commanders  were  only  following  the 
example  of  their  predecessors  in  arctic  exploration. 

As  the  last  of  the  packages  was  deposited  on  the  ice,  word  was  brouglit 
from  below  that  the  fire  was  under  control  and  would  shortly  bo  ex- 
tinguished. In  another  quarter  of  an  hour  the  danger  was  over,  and  Cap- 
tain Girard  invited  Commander  Bronson  and  his  officers  to  join  him  in  the 
cabin.  With  the  politeness  of  his  nation  he  apologized  for  having  kept 
them  waiting  on  deck,  and  explained  that  he  had  been  extremely  occupied 
since  his  return  from  the  delightful  entertainment  on  the  Vivian. 

Then  he  told  the  story  of  the  fire,  and  the  narration  fell  upon  interested 
ears. 

The  watch  below  were  in  their  bunks,  having  laid  aside  their  furs  on 
descending  from  the  deck,  as  was  their  invariable  custom,  and  donned 
their  ordinary  clothing.  All  were  asleep  except  two;  one  of  the  waking 
ones  thought  he  detected  the  smell  of  smoke;,  and  after  a  few  mimites  of 
hesitation  mentioned  it  to  the  other.  The  latter  was  of  the  same  mind ; 
and  while  one  roused  their  companions,  the  other  went  to  report  the  dis- 
covery to  the  officer  on  duty.  Of  course  the  matter  was  immediately  in- 
vestigated. 

The  smoke  was  found  to  be  issuing  from  a  stoi-e-room  just  forward  of 
the  men's  quarters;  the  partition  was  torn  away  to  gain  an  entrance  to 
the  store-room,  which  was  so  densely  filled  with  smoke  that  the  men  who 
entered  it  were  nearly  stifled.  By  creeping  close  to  the  deck  and  holding 
a  sponge  to  his  nose,  one  of  the  officers  found  the  source  of  the  smoke, 
which  Avas  below. 

There  was  no  hatch  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  and  so  a  hole  was  cut 
in  the  deck  for  the  admission  of  water.  By  this  time  a  hose  was  ready 
from  the  donkey-engine,  and  a  stream  was  directed  to  the  locality  of  the 
fire ;  buckets  were  brought  into  requisition,  and  the  first  supply  of  water 
was  obtained  from  a  tank  which  was  kept  constantly  full,  for  use  in  just 


HOW  THE  FIRE   WAS  SUBDUED. 


107 


siieh  an  emergency  as  this.  Then  a  liose  was  passed  'Mitslde  to  draw 
water  from  a  hole  in  tlie  ice ;  this  hole  was  opened  daii\ ,  partly  in  order 
to  take  soundings,  and  partly  to  Jiave  a  supi)ly  of  water  in  case  of  fire, 
since  only  a  limited  amount  could  be  kept  on  board.  Of  course  it  fro/.e 
over  almost  as  soon  as  it  was  opened,  but  it  was  not  a  sei'ious  matter  to 
drill  it  clear  a<i;ain.  There  was  one  mon  in  each  watch  whose  dutv  it  was 
to  open  this  hole  whenever  an  alarm  of  tire  was  given  ;  in  the  present 
instance  the  man  on  duty  was  j)romptly  at  his  post,  so  that  the  water-sup- 
ply was  ready  the  moment  the  hose  was  brought  outside. 


A   riUE    ON    SIIIPBOAHO. 


HM 


.'ho  fire  had  not  gained  nmch  head-M-ay,  and  Avhon  Captain  Girard 
reached  the  Gmnbetta  on  his  return  from  the  Vivian  the  water  was  pour- 
ing steadily  into  the  hold  and  subduing  the  smoke.  As  soon  as  it  was 
thought  safe  to  do  so,  one  of  tlie  officers  descended,  having  taken  the  pre- 
caution to  tie  a  sponge  in  front  of  his  nose  and  mouth  to  prevent  inhaling 
the  smoke.  Carrying  the  end  of  the  hose,  he  directed  it  against  the  fire 
wherever  it  was  visible,  and  in  a  little  while  it  was  extinguished.  The 
Gamhetta  was  saved,  and  her  crew  were  s[)ared  the  horror  of  beiu'*-  driven 


m 


I 


ir 


n 


198 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


h: 


from  their  liome  in  the  middle  of  an  arctic  night  to  seek  shelter  with 
tlieir  American  friends.  •  " 

Of  couree  the  extent  of  the  damage  conld  only  he  ascertained  by  a 
thorough  investigation,  and  this  could  not  be  made  until  the  hold  was  free 
from  smoke.  A  careful  watch  was  kept  to  see  that  the  fiie  did  not  break 
out  afresh,  and  in  the  course  of  some  twenty  houi-s  or  more  it  was  an- 
nounced that  all  the  smoke  had  disappeared.  The  party  from  the  Vivian 
returned  to  their  ship  at  the  end  of  their  interview  with  Captain  Girard ; 
George  had  already  told  Fred,  by  means  of  the  telephone,  that  the  lire 
had  been  subdued,  and  \A\eu  Commander  Bronson  and  his  companions 
reached  the  Vivian^s  side,  they  were  greeted  with  three  cheers  by  the 
assembled  officers  and  crew.         i 

The  origin  of  the  fire  was  a  good  deal  of  a  mystery,  but  it  was  finally 
attributed  to  the  spontaneous  combustion  of  «ome  articles  stored  in  tiie 
fore-hold.  It  conld  be  accounted  for  in  no  other  way,  as  there  was  no 
means  of  reaching  the  spot  with  a  spark  from  outside,  and  no  lamp  or 
candle  had  been  carried  there  for  some  time.  If  it  had  been  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  donkey-engine,  it  might  have  been  caused  by  the  heating  of  the 
pipes  and  the  charring  of  the  timbers,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Hodgers  in 
the  winter  of  1881 ;  but  from  the  position  of  the  engine  this  was  not  pos- 
sible. Some  of  the  French  sailors  were  superstitious,  and  thought  the  fire 
originated  from  supernatural  causes ;  one  of  them  solemnly  declared  that 
it  must  have  been  the  work  of  the  Ice-king,  who  was  angry  at  the  invasion 
of  his  dominions.  Sailors  of  all  nations  have  many  superstitions,  and  the 
French  mariner  is  not  behind  his  brother  navigator  in  this  respect. 

"  It  is  the  peculiarity  of  fire,"  said  Connnander  Bronson, "  that  it  de- 
stroj's  the  evidence  of  its  origin.  For  this  reason  the  cause  of  a  fire  is 
frequently  a  mystery,  and  it  will  always  be  so  until  the  habits  of  confla- 
grations are  changed." 

A  little  while  after  the  return  fi-om  the  Gamhetta  everybody  who  was 
not  required  for  duty  was  safely  in  bed.  There  was  not  nnich  sleep,  how- 
ever, as  most  of  the  company  had  dreams  of  fire  and  the  perils  that  ac- 
company it.  Fred  was  the  victim  of  a  nightmare,  in  which  he  imagined 
the  Vivian  to  be  on  fire  and  her  crew  escaping  to  the  ice.  Ho  waked 
with  a  sc:eam  that  startled  his  companions;  he  apologized  for  disturbing 
them,  but  explained  that  he  was  in  the  act  of  carrying  the  hose  to  the 
fore-hatch,  where  the  fire  was  burning  fiercely,  M'hen  he  slipped  on  tlie 
ladder  and  went  tumbling  headlong  below.  Naturally  enough  he  jumped 
for  safety,  and  found  himself  outside  his  bunk,  and  sitting  on  the  cold 
floor  of  the  cabin. 


ARRANGING  THE  FIRE- WATCH. 


199 


At  the  very  outset  of  the  voyage  tlie  fire-watch  on  the  Vivian  was 
carefully  arrangor'.  and  exery  possiblo  precaution  taken  against  the  de- 
struction of  the  ship  by  fire.  To  ensure  the  proper  tiaining  of  the  crew, 
after  the  accident  on  tlie  Gambetta,  alarms  were  given  at  frequent  inter- 
vals; every  man  ran  to  his  post  of  duty  at  these  alarms,  and  it  was  felt 
that  a  serious  fire  could  not  occur  on  the  Vivian  except  under  the  most 
extraordinary  circumstances. 


FROZKN   IN. 


rv 


200 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


\:i- 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


ARCTIC  NEWSPAPERS  AND  COMEDIES.— DRIFTIXCr  WITH  THE  ICE. 

JOURNEYS.— DISCOVERING  LAND. 


-SLEDGE 


A  MATEUR  theatricals  and  musical  entertainments  were  not  by  any 
-^^  means  the  sole  amusements  of  the  parties  on  the  Vivian  and  Ga7n- 
hetta.  In  arctic  hibernation  it  is  necessary  to  have  both  mind  and  body 
occupied,  and  only  by  doing  so  can  disease  be  kept  from  making  its  ravages 
among  the  crew.  The  prolonged  darkness  has  a  depressing  effect  on  the 
mental  organization,  and  not  infrequently  the  results  are  disastrous.  Thi^ 
is  particularly  the  case  with  the  men  in  the  forecastle,  as  tlie  officers  are 
more  or  less  occupied  with  scientific  observations  and  the  care  of  the  ship. 
The  crew  have  little  regular  work  to  do,  and  consequently  are  liable  to 
become  despondent,  quarrelsome,  and  insubordinate,  and  cases  of  insanity 
are  not  uncommon.  To  prevent  such  a  calamity,  a  prudent  commander 
will  devise  employments  and  amusements  for  the  men;  the  officers  of  the 
Vivian  and  Gamhetta  had  a  clear  understanding  on  this  point,  and  en- 
couraged in  every  way  the  occasional  interchanges  of  courtesies  at  the 
entertaimnents  we  have  described. 

On  each  ship  schools  were  organized  for  the  instruction  of  the  sailors, 
and  though  the  proposition  was  not  favorably  received  at  first,  the  men 
soon  entered  enthusiastically  into  the  plans  for  their  mental  improvement. 
Fred  and  George  were  the  manasjers  of  the  schools  on  the  Vivian;  thev 
received  a  good  deal  of  assistance  from  the  Doctor  and  the  major,  together 
with  all  the  other  officers  of  the  ship.  They  had  classes  in  mathematics, 
geography,  astronomy,  and  navigation,  and  once  a  week  there  was  a  lecture 
by  one  of  the  officers  in  the  house  on  deck.  The  le(;tures  covered  a  variety 
of  topics,  and  the  programme  which  was  prepared  l)y  the  youths  announced 
that  it  was  the  celebrated  "North-star  Course:  to  be  delivered  in  Vivian 
Hall,  corner  of  Bear  Street  and  Walrus  Avenue.  Admission  free.  Holders 
of  tickets  requested  not  to  appear  in  evening  dress." 

The  lecturing  was  performed  under  disadvantages,  as  both  speakers 
and  audieuce  were  clad  in  fm-s,  and  their  breath  often  filled  the  enclosed 


WINTER  SPORTS  IN  THE  ARCTIC  OCEAN. 


201 


spftce  like  a  cloud  of  steam.  Soijjo  of  tl<3  lectui-es  were  original,  hut  as 
the  season  went  on  the  speakers  helped  themselves  to  whatever  material 
they  had  oji  hand.  Dr.  Tonner  gave  an  amusing  .account  of  his  cxpeiiences 
among  the  Indians  of  Arizona,  and  suhseijuently  made  a  decided  liit  with 
an  abridgment  of  John  Phenix's  Lectures  on  Astronomy.  Major  Chi|>p 
was  eloquent  over  the  mysteries  of  Ichthyology,  and  gave  a  good  many 
facts  about  the  habits  of  the  bine-fish,  and  other  products  of  the  sea-shore, 
in  the  vicinity  of  New  York,  but  he  was  mortilied  to  find  that  the  sailors 
laughed  more  heartily  at  his  reading  of  Artemus  Ward's  "Sixty  Minutes 
in  Africa."  George  and  Fred  tried  their  hands  at  lecturing,  and  tliey  nUo 
gave  readings  and  recitations  whenever  the  occasion  required.  They  had 
a  liberal  repertoire,  and  altogether  the  season  may  be  said  to  have  passed 
off  brilliantly.  Prizes  were  given  ''n  the  schools  for  the  pupils  who  made 
the  greatest  progress,  and  thei-e  was  not  a  sailor  in  the  ship  who  did  not 
add  materially  to  his  stock  of  knowledge  before  the  winter  was  over. 

The  physical  amusements  included  skating,  sliding,  and  other  athletic 
exercise  on  the  ice.  When  the  weather  peruntted,  the  men  indulged  ia 
the  construction  of  snow  forts  and  monuments,  and  some  of  them  carved 
grotesque  f'gures  out  of  the  never-ending  supply  of  material  under  their 
feet  and  around  them.  As  the  sun  returned,  and  the  ships  were  retained  in 
their  icy  prison,  the  short  period  of  dayliglit  was  frequently  utilized  by  giv- 
ing half  the  crew  of  each  ship  liberty  on  the  ice,  and  stinnilating  them  to 
get  up  international  matches  of  various  kinds.  They  had  running  races  in 
different  forms — sometimes  on  the  roads  they  had  laid  out,  and  at  others 
over  the  roughest  ice  that  could  be  found.  The  "  tug-of-war,"  where  an 
equal  number  from  each  ship  pulled  at  a  rope,  was  one  of  their  favorite 
sports ;  the  Americans  were  most  frequently  the  victors  at  this  game,  but 
when  it  came  to  running  on  a  smooth  road  they  were  usually  left  behind 
by  the  more  agile  Frenchmen. 

Fred  announced  one  day  that  no  society  could  be  complete  without  a 
newspaper;  everybody  shared  his  opinion,  and  the  result  was  that  the 
"Arctic  Journal  Publishing  Company"  was  organized,  with  limited  capi- 
tal and  liability,  but  unlimited  ability,  as  the  prospectus  described  it. 
Fred  was  appointed  editor,  under  the  restriction  of  not  being  allowed  to 
suppress  anything,  but  to  give  every  correspondent  the  fullest  liberty  to 
say  what  he  pleased.  In  the  prospectus  he  announced  that  all  communi- 
cations would  be  used  and  not  paid  for,  and  that  advertisers  must  invariably 
pay  in  advance.  The  paper  was  issued  fortnightly,  or  rather  it  was  read 
from  manuscript  by  the  editor  and  his  assistant,  George.  It  was  made  up 
of  comments  on  the  occurrences  of  the  day,  speculation  on  the  prospect 


\t. 


202 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


of  reaching  tlie  pole,  social,  political,  and  scientific  intelligeneo,  together 
with  jokes  and  advertisements.  The  paper  was  a  pleasant  diversion  to  all 
on  board  the  Vltrian,  and  after  the  fiist  number  appeared  a  similar  pub- 
lication was  started  on  the  (Jambetta. 

In  his  first  issue  the  editor  of  the  Arctic  Journal  paid  a  handsome 
tribute  to  the  memory  of  his  predecessors  in  this  field  of  literary  work. 
lie  said  that  the  first  paper  of  the  kind  was  called  the  Winter  Chrontch\ 
or  the  North  Geonjlan  Gazette^  and  was  edited  by  Captain  Sabine  on 
board  the  Ilecla,  in  Parry's  second  expedition  to  the  polar  seas.  It  was 
in  manuscript,  like  the  Arctic  Journal,  and  ajipeared  every  Monday  during 
the  five  winter  months  of  1820 :  the  first  number  is  still  in  existence,  and 
contains  a  column  of  miscellanies,  including  a  list  of  "Arctic  Miseries." 
Among  them  is  the  following:  "To  go  out  in  the  morning  for  an  airiiijTf, 
and  when  setting  foot  out  of  the  vessel  to  find  a  frozon  bath  in  the  cook^s 
hut.  To  go  out  with  a  piece  of  soft  biead  in  your  pocket,  and  when  you 
feel  hungry  to  find  it  so  hardened  by  the  frost  that,  instead  of  breaking 
under  the  teeth,  it  is  rather  they  that  are  broken.  To  give  yourself  up  to 
deep  and  useful  meditations  when  out  on  a  walk,  and  then  to  be  suddenly 
awakened  from  your  perplexities  by  the  hug  of  a  bear." 

George  endeavored  to  rival  Fred's  efforts  by  composing  a  comedy  for 
performance  by  the  company  of  the  Vivian.  It  was  voted  that  he  might 
imitate  the  example  of  other  and  more  gifted  dramatic  authors  by  making 
"  adaptations"  from  the  French  without  credit.  He  innnediately  opened 
negotiations  with  one  of  the  younger  officers  of  the  Gamhetta,  with  the 
result  that  he  was  liberally  supplied  with  French  comedies  from  Avhich  he 
might  steal  with  a  clear  conscience.  In  less  than  a  week  he  completed  his 
comedy  ar  J  submitted  it  to  himself;  as  he  was  one  of  the  managers  of  the 
theatre,  it  was  entirely  proper  that  he  should  examine  his  own  work,  and 
it  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that  the  play  was  promptly  accepted,  and  un- 
derlined for  production. 

The  play  was  entitled  "  Parry  and  Paris  ;  or.  The  Search  for  the  Pole." 
When  Captain  Parry  was  in  the  Arctic  Circle,  endeavoring  to  get  to  the 
North-pole,  he  received  a  despatch  from  his  government  offering  him  an 
important  position  as  soon  as  he  reached  home.  It  seems  that  the  Russian 
Government  was  anxious  to  capture  one  Carolus  Slyfoxsky,  a  Polish  ref- 
ugee, who  was  giving  them  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  and  as  the  English 
navigator  had  got  nearer  the  arctic  pole  than  anybody  else,  they  wanted 
him  to  try  his  skill  on  this  Pole  from  Warsaw.  The  first  act  was  supposed 
to  occur  oh  board  the  Ilecla,  in  her  winter  quarters,  the  second  was  located 
in  Paris,  and  the  third  in  Parry's  last  journey  in  the  arctic  regions,  where 


DRAMATIC   CRITICISM. 


203 


t 


lie  was  seeking  the  Nortli-pole  with  Sljfoxsky  as  one  of  his  crew.  As  sug- 
gested by  the  title,  the  play  was  largely  made  up  of  puns,  and  the  young 
author  felt  confident  of  success. 

Tickets  were  freely  distributed  for  the  first  night,  and  in  rhis  respect 
the  affair  was  not  uidike  an  initial  performance  in  l^iris  or  ^^ew  York. 
Tliere  was  not  the  array  of  hair- 
loss  heads  in  the  front  rows 
which  one  sees  at  a  first  night 
in  New  York,  and  as  there  was 
only  one  editor  present,  he  was 
unable  to  congregate  in  the  lob- 
by, and  discuss  the  points  of 
the  play  with  his  fellow-critics, 
Fred  had  received  a  ticket  for 
a  "  box,"  but  in  consequence  of 
the  distance  from  home  he  was 
unaccompanied  by  the  ladies  of 
his  family;  perhaps  it  was  just 
as  well,  since  his  ticket  only  en- 
titled him  to  an  empty  candle- 
box  that  was  utilized  as  a  seat. 
Chairs  were  scarce  on  board  the 
Vivian,  and  everythijig  which 
could  serve  as  a  substitute  was 
brought  into  use. 

In  order  that  Fred  might  be  entirely  without  bias  in  writing  his  criti- 
cism of  the  play,  George  invited  the  yoimg  editor  to  supper  immediately 
aftei'  the  performance.  The  supper  was  the  best  that  the  Delmonico  of 
the  Vivian  could  get  up,  and  when  it  was  over,  Fred  was  clearly  of  opinion 
that  the  author  of  "  Parry  and  Paris"  w-as  the  most  gifted  dramatist  of 
the  age.  "  The  play  that  shall  move  the  world  to  laughter  and  tears,  and 
to  all  the  emotions  ever  found  in  the  human  heart  or  in  'Webster's  Una- 
bridged Dictionary,'  will  come  from  his  talented  pen.  '  Parry  and  Paris' 
gives  promise  of  future  greatness;  it  contains  passages  surpassing  those  of 
'Richelieu'  and  'The  Lady  of  Lyons,'  and  there  are  scenes  and  situations 
such  as  Shakspeare  never  incorporated  in  his  plays ;  and  we  will  add  that 
Shakspeare  never  gave  such  a  supper  to  the  editor  after  the  play  was  ovei-, 
and  we  have  yet  to  learn  of  mince-pies  made  of  pemmican,  and  steaks  of 
seal-meat  on  toast."  .        - 

George's  play  was  repeated  for  the  benefit  of  the  officers  of  \\\q  Gam- 


CAPTAIN    PARUV. 


i 

i 

il 


I 


204 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


CAR0LP8  8LTF0XHKT. 


fxtta,  and  the  example  of  the  young  dramatist  wa8  followed  by  the  i^ontlo. 

man  who  had  furnished  him  with  part  of  the  material  for  "  l*arrv  and 

Paris."     The  American  play  was  given  once  on  board  the  Ga7nhetta,  while 

the  French  one  was  transferred,  "for  one  night 

only,"  to  the  boards  of  the  Viimin.     In  this  way 

everybody  had    an  (tpportnnity  of  seeing  both 

productions,  and  it  was  a  noticeable   fact  that 

there  was  a  full  attendance  on  all  occasions,  and 

nobody  went  out  between  the  acts.     In  the  mat- 
ter of  scenery  both  ships  were  -adly  deficient, 

and  there  was  a  placard  in  front  of  the  stage 

requesting  the  audience  to  imagine  a  forest,  a 

town,  or  an  ice-Held,  according  to  the  conditions 

of  the  play. 

So  the  winter  passed  away.     On  and  on  they 

drifted,  eastward  and  northward  ;  sometimes  they 

moved  so  slowly  that  it  was  difficult  to  discover 

any  movement  at  all,  and  at  other  times  their  progress  was  from  twenty 

to  thirty  miles  a  day.     The  cold  at  times  was  intense;  the  thermomctor 

fell  to  —74:°  Fahreidieit  on  several  occasions,  and 
once  it  reached  —  Sl°,  or  a  hundred  and  thiiteen 
degrees  below  the  freezing-point  of  fresh  water. 
Ordinarily  the  winter  tetnperature  was  from  ten  to 
twenty  degrees  below  zero;  our  friends  soon  be- 
came accustomed  to  these  figures,  but  when  the 
lowest  points  of  the  scale  were  reached  they  were 
very  cautious  about  exposing  themselves  to  tlie 
weather.  They  were  all  agreed  oa  one  ]ioint,  that 
a  temperature  of  fifty  degrees  below  zero,  with  the 
air  perfectly  still,  is  easier  to  endure  than  twelve 
or  fifteen  degrees  below  zero  with  the  wind  blow- 
ing. At  such  times  nobody  ventured  out  except 
on  urgent  duty,  and  all  communication  between 
the  ships  ceased  except  through  the  telephone. 

Fred  and  George  made  note  of  the  curious  ef- 
fects of  intense  cold.  One  day  the  forme"  incau- 
tiously toadied  his  rifle  barrel  with  his  naked  hand 

when  the  thermometer  stood  at  —70°.     His  hand  was  blistered  as  though 

the  iron  had  been  red  hot;  the  youth  did  not  repeat  the  experiment,  and 

ever  afterwards  he  handled  cold  iron  with  his  mittens  on.     Fresh  bread 


A   CHARACTER. 


TUE  EFFECTS  OF  INTENSE  COLD. 


205 


A   CIURACTKIl   IN    TIIK    >'11KNCI1    I'LAY. 


exposed  to  tlic  cold  bccuinc  solid  us  Btoii",  nud  could  only  ho  cut  with  a 
hntchct,  and  us  for  hoof,  it  resoiiihlud  red  granite.  The  moisture  in  the 
cans  of  preserved  meat  and  vegetahles  caused  them  to  hecoiue  a  solid  nuiss, 
from  which  the  tin  was  chopped,  leaving  the  contents  like  a  section  from 
a  geological  sjMJcimen.  If  it  was  desired  to 
soften  the  contents  hefore  opening  the  can, 
it  was  placed  in  the  steam-box  and  gradtial- 
ly  thawed  into  a  condition  of  nialleahility. 
Those  articles  suffered  least  that  had  the 
smallest  amount  of  moisture  in  them,  as 
there  was  less  to  be  frozen.  Hard -tack,  or 
sea-biscuit,  was  therefore  better  for  carry- 
ing outside  than  fresh  bread,  and  diied  beef 
was  preferable  to  the  canned  article. 

Arctic  explorers  have  recorded  that,  on 
their  exjieditions  over  the  ice,  the  supply  of 
brandy  and  rum  which  they  carried  became 
frozen  solid,  and  the  only  thing  that  did  not 
congeal   was  the   alcohol   used   for  making 

coffee  and  tea,  or  melting  snow  in  order  to  procure  water.  Pemmican  and 
hard  bread  are  the  best  articles  of  food  for  a  sledging  party  in  severe 
weather,  as  they  contain  little  moisture,  and  will  yield  more  readily  than 
other  substances  to  the  efforts  of  the  hungry  man  to  devour  them.  In  the 
severest  weather  the  wind  on  the  face  has  the  same  feeling  as  would  be 
produced  by  the  blows  of  a  small  whip,  and  the  victim  feels  as  though  the 
fx'sh  were  being  i^eeled  off  in  shreds.  This  sensation  is  followed  by  numb- 
ness, and  then  by  the  blood  leaving  the  exposed  places;  then  the  skin  be- 
comes blue,  which  is  an  indication  that  freezing  is  about  to  commeTice. 
If  the  face  turns  white  it  is  a  sure  sign  that  it  is  frozen,  and  unless  it  is 
violently  rubbed  with  snow,  to  bring  the  blood  back  again,  the  consequences 
are  disastrous. 

The  face  cannot  be  kept  entirely  covered,  as  the  congelation  of  the 
breath  on  the  f ui-s  that  surround  it  will  speedily  cause  the  formation  of  a 
mass  of  ice.  Inexperienced  travellei"s  who  have  covered  their  faces  with 
wrappers  and  mufflers  are  sometimes  unable  to  remove  them,  as  they  be- 
come converted  into  muzzles  and  collars  as  hard  and  stiff  as  iron  ;  the  best 
way  of  avoiding  trouble,  and  at  the  same  time  to  protect  the  face,  is  to 
hold  the  hood  with  one  hand,  allowing  the  breath  to  pass  outside,  and 
leaving  a  narrow  opening  for  the  eyes  to  see  the  way.  In  the  severest 
weather  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  move  at  all ;  and  if  a  storm  arises 


|: 


206 


THE   VOYAC.K  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


M 

M  ■ 

It- 
t 


tlio  iti()8t  prttdutit  coursu  is  to  wait  in  tliu  bust  uttuiitublo  shelter  until  it 
coast'A.  . 

Witli  every  storrii  there  were  fejii«  tliut  the  ice-fields  nii<?lit  bo  broken 
np  and  the  whips  threatened  with  derttnictiun.  Prepunitions  for  retreat  in 
ease  of  accident  had  been  made  early  in  the  winter,  but  ovcrvbody  knew 
how  Binall  was  the  chanco  of  escape  in  case  of  the  Iohs  of  their  floating 
homes.  The  ice-field  in  which  they  weio  enclosed  was  of  immeiise  extent 
and  great  thickness,  so  that  it  was  not  affected  by  ordinary  winds;  on  two 
or  three  occiasions  the  winds  rose  to  the  force  of  gales,  and  then  the  ice 
rocked  visibly  beiteath  thenj,  and  the  ships  groaned  and  creaked  in  their 
beds.  The  snow  flew  in  blinding  nuisses,  and  the  wind  blew  with  such 
force  that  it  was  impossible  to  stand  up  against  it.  If  the  fields  hud 
broken,  and  the  ships  gone  down  in  one  of  these  gales,  it  is  not  likely  that. 
any  trace  of  the  expedition  woidd  ever  have  reached  us.  Travel  over  the 
broken  ice  would  have  been  slow  at  best,  and  it  was  far  indeed  to  the  near- 
est land  where  assistance  coidd  be  obtained. 

As  the  spring  advanced,  and  the  sun  each  day  remained  longer  and 
lojiger  above  the  horizon,  there  was  great  anxiety  to  find  a  release  from  the 
iey  [trison.  Early  in  April,  observation  showed  that  they  were  in  latitude 
80°  23'  north,  and  longitude  120°  west.  This  placed  them  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  Parry  Archipelago,  in  a  part  of  the  polar  sea  not  hitherto 
visited  by  any  explorers;  by  the  end  of  April  they  were  five  degrees  far- 
ther to  the  east,  and  two  degrees  nearer  the  pole;  not  oidy  were  they  pro- 
gressing in  the  direction  they  desired  to  go,  but  they  had  another  motion 
which  showed  that  some  new  force  was  at  work.  In  the  last  nitie  days  of 
April  the  ice-field  turned  nearly  one  quarter  around;  the  bows  of  the  shipa 
had  pointed  towards  the  north,  but  were  now  directed  to  the  west  As 
they  drifted  with  the  ice,  they  might  be  said  to  be  sailing  very  nearly  stern 
foremost. 

A'atnrally  the  new  movement  of  the  ships  was  disenssed  by  the  officers, 
and  various  theories  were  advanced. 

"Perhaps  the  motion  of  the  ice-field  is  caused  by  currents  opposed  to 
each  other,"  the  major  suggested.  "  If  there  is  an  easterly  current  to  the 
north  of  us,  and  a  westerly  one  to  the  south,  it  would  tend  to  give  the  ice- 
field a  circular  motion."  ,  . 

All  the  party  agreed  that  the  major's  ground  was  well  taken. 

"What  is  more  probable,"  said  Commander  I3ronson,"i8  that  there  is 
land  on  one  side  of  us,  and  the  ice  has  grounded  against  it.  Explorations 
have  shown  that  there  is  an  extensive  archipelago  to  the  north  of  the 
American  continent;  we  know  we  are  to  the  northward  of  the  Parry  Isles, 


AN  KXI'EDITION  OVEU  TIIK   ICK. 


i07 


Rtid  tlio  i>r(»l)a1)iHticH  am  that  wc  aro  nitjonjj  islundrt  not  yet  known  to  tlio 
gcogmplieirt. 

"Tims  fur,"  ho  coiitiniiod,  •*  wo  oainiot  say  whothor  tho  land  on  which 
onr  i<;o-tiohl  iiii|>iii^(;K  is  to  th((  north  or  «(»uth  of  our  |t!»siti()ii.  Wo  nnist 
Hnd  that  out  by  ol)8orvatioii,  and  m  Huun  an  our  minds  aro  nuido  up  wu 
will  jjjo  in  search  of  it." 

Then  tliu  cuniniandur  dotuilud  his  plana  for  observing  thu  inovunient 
of  tho  ico, 

Slod;^in<5  parties  were  to  i^o  from  tlio  ship  as  far  as  n  sinj^dc  day's  travel 
would  carry  them,  ono  to  tho  north  and  tho  other  to  the  8»»uth.  There 
they  were  to  ohservo  tho  drift  of  tho  ice  as  accurately  as  possible;  a  sinj- 
ilar  observation  would  bo  nuido  at  the  ship,  and  a  comparison  of  tho  notes 
woidd  tell  him  what  he  wished  to  know. 

"If  it  is  as  I  suspect,"  said  tho  commander,  "we  shall  find  that  there 
is  a  more  rapid  movement  of  tho  ico  to  tho  south  of  us  than  there  is  to  tho 
north.  Tho  ice  is  turnin<^,  as  we  have  seen  by  tho  chanj^o  in  the  shij/s 
position,  aTid  if  we  can  learn  the  drift  at  the  points  indicated  wo  can  cal- 
cidate  with  tolerable  accuracy  the  distance  wo  aro  from  the  land." 

Everything  was  made  ready,  and  early  tho  next  morning  the  two  sledges 
got  away  on  their  journeys,  each  carrying  tho  necossai-y  tools  and  instru- 
ments for  making  the  observations.  Major  Clapp  and  George  went  with 
ono  of  tho  sledges,  while  Dr.  Tonner  and  Fred  had  tho  othoi*.  The 
major's  sledge  made  about  seven  miles  to  the  north;  but  owing  to  the 
ruiiglmccs  of  the  ice  to  the  south,  and  some  ugly  breaks  in  it,  tho  Do(!tor 
found  himseli:  little  more  than  four  miles  away  when  it  was  time  to  stop. 
Both  camped  on  the  ice,  each  using  one  of  tho  hummocks  for  a  shelter  to 
protect  tho  tent  from  the  wind,  in  case  it  should  come  on  to  blow.  Snow 
was  melted  by  the  aid  of  an  alcohol  lamp,  and  coffee  was  made  in  the 
same  way ;  pemmican  and  biscuit  were  tho  solid  part  of  the  provisions,  and 
it  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  the  exposure  and  exercise  gave  everybody  an 
admirable  appetite. 

George  and  Fred  had  their  first  experience  of  sleeping  on  tho  ice,  and 
the  novelty  of  it  was  a  compensation  for  the  discomfort.  Each  of  the 
party  had  a  sleeping-bag,  which  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  huge 
sack  of  deer-skin,  amply  large  enough  to  hold  its  owner.  To  go  to  bed  was 
to  creep  ijito  the  bag  feet-foremost  and  then  close  the  top,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  small  aperture  for  the  admission  of  fresh  air.  To  get  up,  ono  had 
simply  to  creep  out  of  the  bag;  and  as  they  all  slept  with  their  clothes  on, 
there  was  no  toilet  to  be  made  other  than  a  few  shakes  and  twists  to  get 
the  body  into  working  arder  and  the  joints  in  their  proper  places. 


M 


208 


THE   VOYAGP:  of  the   "VIVIAN." 


m-' 


mi 


Sleeping-bags  are  an  indispensable  part  of  an  ontfit  for  an  arctic  sledge 
jonrney.  They  have  been  nsed  by  every  exploior  from  the  days  of  Wran- 
gell  and  Parry,  and  probably  were  employed  by  their  predecessors.  In 
addition  to  the  bag  there  is  a  sort  of  coverlid  of  furs,  which  is  spread  over 
the  feet  of  the  sleepers  after  they  have  taken  their  places.  The  spreading 
of  this  protector  is  no  easy  matter,  as  it  must  be  done  when  evei-ybody  is 
in  his  bag  and  has  very  little  use  of  liis  arms.  After  being  used  a  few 
times  it  absorbs  moistnie,  which  freezes  as  fast  as  it  is  taken  in ;  the  cov- 
erlid becomes  like  a  piece  of  sheet-iron,  and  the  same  is  the  case  with  the 
tent  and  the  sleeping-bags. 

"  It  is  a  curious  circumstance,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  that  the  sleeping-bag 
belongs  alike  to  the  frigid  and  the  torrid  zones.  When  I  travelled  in  the 
deserts  of  Arabia  we  had  bags  of  muslin  in  which  we  slej)t  at  niglit  to 
shield  us  from  mosquitoes;  here  we  have  bags  of  deer-skin  with  which  to 
protect  ourselves  from  the  intense  cold." 

Breakfast  was  very  much  like  the  supper;  at  any  rate,  it  consisted  of 
the  same  provisions,  but  Fred  managed  to  get  up  a  change  in  it.  "  When 
I  went  to  supper,"  said  he,  "  I  first  took  a  bite  of  pemmican  and  then  a 
l)ite  of  biscuit.  For  breakfast  I  began  with  the  biscuit  and  followed  with 
the  pemmican,  so  that  breakfast  and  supper  are  not  tlie  same  after  all." 

Both  parties  were  foitunate  enough  to  find  crevices  where  the  field  had 
recently  broken  and  left  only  a  covering  of  young  ice  a  couple  of  feet 
thick.  Cutting  through  this  young  ice  they  were  able  to  make  tiie  sound- 
ings they  desired,  and  also  to  use  the  lead  for  obtaining  the  direction  and 
rate  of  the  drift.  As  soon  as  they  had  carried  out  the  ordei-s  of  the  com- 
mander they  returned  to  the  ship.  One  of  the  parties  saw  a  bear,  but  the 
animal  was  not  inclined  to  familiarity,  and  made  off  as  fast  as  he  could  go. 
As  an  attempt  to  capture  him  would  have  caused  delay,  it  was  wisely  de- 
cided to  let  him  alone. 

.  The  result  of  the  observations  was  given  to  the  commander,  together 
with  notes  concerning  the  character  of  the  ice  over  which  the  parties  had 
travelled,  and  the  crevices  where  the  soundings  were  made.  Commander 
Bronson  made  a  careful  computation,  in  which  he  was  assisted  bj'  Major 
Ciapp  and  Captain  Jones,  and  in  a  couple  of  hours  arrived  at  his  decision 
concerninar  the  movement  of  the  ice. 

"According  to  my  calculations  the  field  where  we  are  is  resting  against 
the  land,  or,  at  all  events,  is  aground  about  twenty-five  miles  north  of  us. 
The  current  is  bearing  it  in  a  circular  direction,  or  rather  in  the  segment 
of  a  circle,  and  if  we  go  north  the  distance  I  have  indicated  we  shall  find 
solid  ground,  or  perhaps  a  reef  or  shoal  on  which  the  ice  has  touched.     If 


AN   INTERNATIONAL  RACE. 


209 


it  were  not  for  the  haze  which  has  filled  the  northern  horizon  for  several 
davs  I  think  we  should  see  the  land  easily." 

"  Tlien,"  said  the  major,  "  1  move  that  we  go  in  search  of  it.  If  we 
find  land  we  shall  add  something  to  the  geograpliy  of  the  world,  as  nobody 
has  ever  been  here  before." 

His  opinion  was  echoed  by  the  rest,  and  it  was  at  once  decided  to  go 
in  search  of  land. 

The  expedition  was  arranged  like  the  one  of  the  day  before,  with  the 
exception  that  the  pai-ty  was  to  carry  provisions  for  ten  days,  and  the 
sledges  were  to  travel  in  company.  In  their  eagerness  to  be  off  they  got 
away  two  or  three  hours  before  daylight,  and  made  such  good  progress 
that  they  M'ere  nowhere  to  be  seen  when  the  sun  came  above  the  horizon. 
The  commander  was  so  busy  with  matters  that  required  his  attention  that 
he  did  not  have  time  to  call  through  the  telephone  to  Captain  Girard,  and 
tell  Ir'm  that  the  sledges  had  gone  on  a  voyage  of  discovery  !  We  have  a 
susp:  ion  that  he  did  not  wish  the  Frenchman  to  know  anything  about  it 
until  too  late  for  a  party  bearing  tlie  tricolor  to  get  ahead  of  the  Americans. 

With  the  early  start,  and  their  enthusiasm  to  help  them  along,  oiu' 
friends  made  nearly  eleven  miles  before  camping  for  the  night.  The  Jiext 
morning  they  were  somewhat  stiff  and  sore,  but  keen  as  ever  for  going  on ; 
George  and  Fred  showed  a  great  deal  of  energy  in  getting  things  i-eady 
for  the  start,  and  the  drivers  had  their  dogs  harnessed  and  everything  in 
place  before  the  sun  was  up.  Soon  as  it  was  fairly  above  the  horizon  the 
sharp  eyes  of  Fred  made  a  discovery  which  filled  the  whole  party  with 
excitement. 

There  was  the  land  they  had  been  looking  for,  and  it  was  exactly  in 
the  direction  and  apparently  at  the  distance  predicted  by  Connnander 
Bronson ! 

Everybody  was  in  great  glee  at  tiie  siglit,  and  needed  no  incentive  to 
be  off.  They  made  the  best  progress  they  could,  but  there  were  so  many 
hummocks  and  rough  places  that  by  noon  the  sledges  were  less  than  five 
miles  from  their  camp  of  the  previous  night.  A  halt  was  ordered,  and 
men  and  dogs  rested  from  their  labors.  George  was  impatient  to  know 
something  of  the  strange  land  they  were  approaching,  and  so  he  climbed 
to  the  top  of  the  highest  hummock  in  the  neighborhood,  and  scanned  the 
distant  shore  with  a  glass. 

Having  made  ont  all  that  was  possible,  he  looked  to  the  south,  to  ascer- 
tain if  he  could  see  the  ship.  Suddenly  a  speck  on  the  ice  caught  his 
eye;  it  was  a  speck  of  red,  and  was  moving.  Adjusting  the  lemes  of  the 
glass  to  bring  the  speck  into  focus,  he  was  not  long  in  making  it  out. 

14 


m 


•1 


I  1 


1  i 

H«r 

"> 

\    % 

K      H^ 

1^ 

I  hM 

If 

■ 

210 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


It  was  tlie  tricolor,  carried  in  front  of  tlie  sledges  from  the  Gamhetta. 

The  young  man  came  down  from  the  hnininock  with  the  alacrity  of 
a  school-boy  escaping  from  a  hornet's  nest,  and  in  a  few  strides  he  was 
at  the  spot  were  his  companions  were  halted. 

"  Hurry  uj) !  hurry  up !"  he  shouted.  "  The  Frenchmen  are  after  us, 
and  not  more  than  three  or  four  miles  away." 

Xo  further  incentive  was  needed  for  the  American  part  of  the  expe- 
ditiot),  but  the  dogs  and  their  drivers  were  not  so  quick  of  comprehension. 
While  they  were  ])reparing  to  be  off  again,  George  mounted  a  hummock 
to  pick  out  the  best  road,  and  to  his  great  delight  he  espied  a  stretch  of 
smooth  ice,  which  began  not  moi-e  than  a  mile  from  where  they  were,  and 
apparently  continued  nearly  up  to  the  laud. 

This  smooth  ice  did  not  lie  directly  between  them  and  the  shore,  but 
farther  to  the  westward.  He  reported  it  to  the  major,  and  the  Intter  or- 
dered the  route  to  be  changed  so  as  to  reach  the  level  stretch,  where  the 
greater  distance  could  be  more  than  equalized  by  the  superior  speed  at 
which  they  could  travel.  From  that  time  till  the  edge  of  the  smooth  ice 
was  reached,  one  of  the  party  was  constantly  at  the  top  of  a  hummock, 
or  proceeding  ahead  of  the  sledges  in  order  to  find  the  best  road ;  and 
we  can  be  sure  that  they  frequently  looked  behind,  to  ascertain  if  the 
Frenchmen  were  lessening  the  distance  between  them. 

The  major  conjectured  that  the  moving  field  had  broken  in  such  a 
way  as  to  leave  an  expanse  of  open  water  wliich  had  been  speedily  frozen 
over,  |)robably  in  a  single  night.  There  were  ridges  here  and  there,  but 
nothing  serious,  and  when  they  were  fairly  upon  it  the  teams  dashed  mer- 
rily along.  The  major  had  taken  a  hint  from  Captain  Hall  and  prepared 
a  log,  which  he  threw  occasionally,  to  ascertain  the  speed  they  were  mak- 
ing. It  was  difficult  to  have  anything  like  an  accurate  estimate,  as  they 
were  obliged  to  make  frequent  halts  to  remove  tangles  from  the  harness, 
and  otherwise  straighten  out  the  teams.  A  dog-team  will  manage  to  get 
into  a  good  mj-.ny  snarls  in  the  course  of  a  day's  travel;  it  is  a  severe  trial 
of  the  explorer's  patience,  but  there  seems  to  be  no  help  for  it. 

The  log  was  constructed  on  the  principle  of  the  log  of  a  ship,  and  con- 
sisted of  a  fishing-line  divided  into  knots  and  wound  on  a  reel  that  turned 
freely  on  a  handle  in  its  centre.  At  the  end  of  the  line  was  an  iron  bolt 
weighing  a  pound  or  more,  and  serving  the  same  purpose  as  the  float  on 
the  nautical  log.  It  was  inconvenient  to  manipulate  a  sand-glass  on  board 
a  dog-sledge,  or  to  hold  a  Avatcli  with  mittened  hands  to  count  the  time; 
to  get  over  this  difficulty  the  major  had  practised  counting  "  one,  two, 
three,"  and  so  on  up  to  ten,  in  almost  exact  unison  with  the  beats  of  a 


If't 


GOING  AT  FULL  SPEED. 


211 


ti'iiil 


o 

IK 


r 


lir 


212 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


Avntcli.  With  tliis  contrivance  lie  ascertaineci  that  the  sledge  sonietinie^i 
went  as  fast  as  eleven  miles  an  hour,  but  it  rarely  did  so  for  more  than  h 
few  minutes  at  a  time. 

They  estimated  that  in  their  first  hour  on  the  ice  they  made  fullv  six 
miles,  and  somewhat  less  than  that  distance  in  the  second  hour.  I3v  sun- 
set they  were  within  half  a  mile  of  land ;  but,  unfoi-tunately,  their  progress 
was  again  impeded  by  rough  ice,  which  was  piled  on  the  coast  in  a  way 
far  from  welcome  to  the  anxious  explorers. 


ICE-LOO,  LINE     .ND    REKL. 


ii-     t 


13.*' 


1 1 

i 


If 

i 


t4. 


I'KESIDENT  LAND. 


2ia 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE  LAND  VISITED   AND   EXPLORED.— THE   AMERICANS   IX   POSSESSIOX.- 
OUS  JOURNEY   OVER  THE   ICE.— THE   SHU'S   IN   GREAT   DANGER. 


a 


-PERIL- 


TTT'E  mustn't  let  the  GamhetUCs  people  ijet  ahead  of  us,"  said  the 

'  *     major,  as  the  sledges  came  to  a  halt  '      he  edge  of  the  smooth  ice. 

"Suppose  you  and  George  go  ahead  with  the  flag,"  replied  the  Doe- 
tor,  "while  Fred  and  I  look  after  the  teams.  We  must  be  the  ti'st  to 
hoist  our  flag  on  the  land,  and  claim  it  for  our  nation." 

"All  right,"  the  major  answered.  "  Get  the  flag  immediately,"  he  con- 
tinued, turning  to  George, "  and  we'll  show  our  friends  of  the  Gamhetta  that 
we  have  not  forgotten  Wrangell  Island," 

Action  was  suited  to  the  word  without  a  moment's  delav,  and  the 
major  and  George  made  the  best  possible  speed  to  the  shore.  They  had 
a  rough  road  among  the  hummocks,  and  through  the  broken  ice,  but 
under  the  circumstarces  they  made  excellent  progress. 

Just  above  the  point  where  they  landed  there  was  a  rocky  hill  perhaps 
a  hundred  feet  high.  Pausing  a  moment  to  take  breath,  and  make  sure 
the}'  were  not  pursued,  George  flxed  his  eye  on  the  summit  of  this  hill ; 
then,  with  an  expression  and  attitude  that  would  have  done  honor  to  the 
hero  of  "Excelsior,"  in  the  act  which  Longfellow  has  made  immortal,  he 
climbed  to  the  summit  and  proceeded  to  place  the  American  flag  where 
it  could  wave  in  the  arctic  breeze. 

"  I  take  possession  of  this  land  in  the  name  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States !"  said  George,  as  he  planted  the  point  of  the  slender  staff 
in  a  crevice  of  the  rock. 

"And  it  shall  be  called  President  Land,"  added  the  major,  who  had 
been  obliged  to  ascend  more  slowly  than  his  youthful  companion. 

"  Wonder  where  our  French  friends  are  now  ?"  said  George,  as  the 
ceremony  of  taking  possession  was  concluded. 

"  They'll  be  along  as  soon  as  they  ca!i  get  here,"  was  the  reply,  "  and 

perhaps  they  won't  like  it  when  they  find  we've  got  ahead  of  them." 

The  glass  had  been  left  with  Fred,  and  so  our  friends  had  onlv  their 

14* 


'J  14 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


P 

Jill'"  'J 


unassisted  eyes  to  see  witli.  They  scanned  the  hoi'izon  in  the  direction 
they  liad  come,  but  could  not  discover  any  indication  of  the  French 
sledges. 

"We'll  leave  the  flag  here  for  the  present,"  said  the  major,  "and  see 
what  we  can  do  to  help  Fred  along.  There  they  are,  struggling  amoii"- 
the  hummocks;  see,  there  is  a  sort  of  lane  right  from  the  edge  of  the 
smooth  ice  close  up  to  the  shore,  and  evidently  they  haven't  seen  it." 

Geoi'ge  proposed  to  go  and  guide  the  sledges  into  the  lane  the  major 
had  pointed  out;  the  latter  was  to  remain  and  watch  the  flag,  and  also  keei; 
possession  of  the  land  they  had  discovered  and  annexed  to  the  possessions 
of  the  United  States,  The  major  approved  the  suggestion,  and  away 
went  the  yonth  down  the  hill,  but  hardly  with  more  rapidity  than  he  had 
climbed  it. 

The  sledges  were  quickly  guided  in  the  right  direction,  and  by  dusk 
the  whole  party  was  on  shore.  The  tent  was  put  up  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  and  to  make  the  possession  of  the  land  beyond  question,  a  flag  which 
Fred  drew  from  the  baggage  was  hung  above  it,  and  waved  a  greeting  to 
the  one  on  the  sunnnit  of  the  hill. 

"  Two  souls  with  but  a  single  thought,"  said  the  Doctor,  as  he  looked 
at  Fred  and  George,  who  stood  adiniring  the  banners  they  had  spread  to 
the  breeze. 

"  Yes,"  responded  the  major.  "  If  two  heads  are  better  than  one,  why 
are  not  two  flags,  even  though  they  be  small  ?" 

"  They're  lai'ge  enough  to  hold  President  Land  against  all  comers," 
said  George,  "  and  I  don't  care  now  how  soon  our  French  friends  come 
along." 

Fred  scanned  the  expanse  of  ice  with  his  field-glass,  but  the  growing 
darkness  impeded  his  vision ;  he  could  see  nothing  of  their  I'ivals,  and 
as  all  hands  were  heartily  weary,  they  proceeded  to  get  supper  and  pre- 
pare for  sleep.  The  dogs  were  fed  by  their  drivers,  and  aided  by  the 
alcohol  lamp  the  party  was  soon  provided  for  as  liberally  as  circumstances 
M-ould  allow.  Soon  as  supper  was  over  they  crawled  into  their  bags,  and 
slept  soundly  till  early  in  the  morning. 

Fred  was  the  first  to  rise,  and  immediately  on  getting  out  of  the  tent 
he  looked  to  see  if  the  flags  were  where  they  had  been  left.  Both  were 
unharmed,  and  when  satisfied  on  this  point  the  young  man  took  his  glass, 
and  climbed  the  hill  to  ascertain  what  had  become  of  the  party  from  the 
Gambetta. 

They  were  at  the  edge  of  the  rough  ice  that  had  given  the  Americans 
so  much  trouble  the  day  before,  and  were  just  starting  in  among  the  hum- 


EXPLORING  THE  COUNTRY. 


215 


IN    CAMP. 


mocks  to  make  their  way  to  the  shore.  Evi-' mtly  tliey  were  i*u;iioraiit  of 
the  existence  of  the  laii'i  which  liad  been  discovered  from  the  hill-top  the 
day  before,  and  were  in  the  sanio  error  that  had  befallen  the  Doctor  and 
himself.  Without  a  moment's  delay  he  descended  the  hill,  and  went  out 
among  the  rough  ice,  to  put  the 
Frenchmen  in  the  proper  way.  In 
a  little  while  tiiey  were  in  the  right 
road  and  safe  on  land ;  they  i)itched 
their  tent  about  three  hundred  vards 
from  that  of  the  Americans,  not  from 
any  spirit  of  unfriendliness,  but  in 
order  to  keep  the  dogs  from  fighting. 
The  party  from  the  Gambetta  gra- 
ciously accepted  their  defeat  in  not 
being  first  on  land,  but  promised  to 
be  ahead  of  the  Americans  the  next 
time  anything  of  the  kind  was  un- 
dertaken. 

It  seemed  tliat  they  were  not 
able  to  get  over  the  smooth  ice  until  after  sunset,  and  the  latter  part  of 
their  ride  across  it  had  been  done  rather  slowly,  for  fear  of  accidents  in 
the  growing  darkness.  When  they  reached  the  rough  ice  they  saw  the 
case  was  hopeless,  and  the  Americans  were  certainly  ahead  of  them  in 
getting  to  land.  Very  sensibly  they  spread  their  tent  where  they  were, 
and  waited  till  morning  before  going  on. 

It  was  decided  that  the  two  parties  should  act  together  in  exploring 
the  newly  discovered  land ;  and  as  the  Americans  had  given  the  title  to 
it,  the  French  should  have  the  right  to  name  the  highest  mountain.  It 
M'as  further  agreed  that  all  mines  of  gold,  silver,  or  other  valuable  product 
of  the  earth,  should  be  the  joint  property  of  the  two  expeditions,  and  no 
concession  to  work  mines  or  till  the  soil  should  bo  valid  without  the 
signatures  of  the  captains  of  the  Vivian  and  Gamhetta.  red  suggested 
that  it  would  be  well  to  arrange  for  the  establishment  of  an  armv  and 
navy,  and  also  for  a  police  force  to  maintain  order  in  President  Land,  but 
his  idea  did  not  secure  speedy  adoption.  It  was  agreed,  however,  that  the 
government  of  the  country  must  be  republican,  and  the  inhabitants  would 
have  the  right  to  make  their  own  laws  without  danger  of  interference 
from  the  home  authorities. 

These  preliminaries  settled,  it  was  agreed  that  the  exploration  should 
be  made  to  the  westward  by  the  party  from  the  Vivian,  while  the  Gatn- 


■f ' 


216 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


W    1 

w- 

HSiT 

hetta'a  people  would  examine  the  country  east  of  the  catnp.  One  entire 
day  was  to  be  allowed  fur  the  exploration ;  if  either  party  was  detained 
from  camp  overnight,  it  was  to  bo  understood  that  a  serious  accident  had 
luii)pened. 

The  ground  was  too  rough  for  the  sledges  to  be  of  any  use,  and  conse- 
quently they  were  left  at  the  camp,  together  with  everything  else  not  need- 
t']  for  the  day's  journey.  During  the  remainder  of  that  day  the  region 
around  the  camp  was  examined,  and  the  next  morning  both  pai'ties  made 
an  early  start.  Of.  course  the  dog-drivers  remained  at  the  camp  to  keep 
the  dogs  from  straying,  but  all  the  rest  of  the  party  went  to  explore  the  land. 

It  did  not  take  long  for  them  to  decide  that  the  scheme  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  country  would  bo  of  little  use,  as  the  inhabitants  would  not 
submit  to  it.  The  only  residents  they  could  lind  were  bears,  foxes,  and 
other  wild  beasts,  and  a  republican  form  of  government  has  never  been 
popular  among  these  creatures.  They  are  autocratic  in  their  dispositions, 
and  generally  adhere  to  the  principle  that  might  makes  right. 

Fred  got  a  shot  at  a  white  bear  before  they  had  gone  half  a  nn'le  fi'om 
camp,  but  the  animal  made  off  altogether  too  fast  for  anybody  to  follow. 
Then  the  rifle  was  handed  to  the  Doctor,  but  no  game  was  discovered  for 
some  time.  There  was  very  little  vegetation,  only  a  few  mosses  and  stunt- 
ed shrubs,  and  our  friends  were  unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  it  would 
i\yjt  pay  to  attempt  to  colonize  the  country.  Back  of  the  camp,  and  [lei*- 
haps  a  couple  of  miles  inland,  there  was  a  hilly  ridge  about  three  hundred 
feet  high.  It  was  quite  steep,  and  composed  of  broken  shale,  which  made 
it  difficult  of  ascent.  The  Doctor  and  Fred  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  ridge, 
while  the  major  and  George  proceeded  along  its  base. 

Back  of  the  ridge  was  a  b/'oad  extent  of  ice  which  proved  to  be  a 
glacier,  the  first  that  Fred  had  ever  seen.  Dr.  Tonner  shouted  his  discov- 
ery to  the  major,  and  then  followed  along  the  ridge  to  find  a  good  point 
for  venturing  on  the  surface  of  the  ice.  As  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen 
at  the  base  of  the  ridge,  the  major  and  George  climbed  up  to  join  their 
companions,  and  then  it  was  decided  to  cross  the  ice,  or  at  least  make  an 
investigation  of  its  character. 

The  glacier  was  evidently  an  ancient  and  permanent  one,  as  the  sides 
of  its  channel  were  worn  into  precipices  by  the  long  continued  flow  of  the 
river  of  ice.  It  was  no  easy  matter  to  get  fairly  on  the  ice,  owing  to  its 
broken  character  at  the  edge,  and  our  friends  walked  a  considerable  dis- 
tance before  finding  a  satisfactory  spot.  There  were  deep  fissures  in  the 
ice,  and  as  the  party  was  unprovided  with  the  proper  apparatus  for  glacier- 
climbing,  it  was  necessary  to  proceed  with  great  caution. 


A  DANGEROUS  POSITION. 


217 


•?* 


CUCSSING   A   CREVASSE  ON   A   BUIDGE  OF  ICE. 


218 


THE  VOYAGE  OP  THE   "VIVIAN." 


'I 
4 


li  ■:   s: 


At  length  a  bridgo  of  ico  seemoil  to  proiuiso  secjiiro  footing,  and  one 
after  unotlier  they  ventnied  npon  it.  George  slipped  when  nearly  over; 
fortunately  ho  fell  on  the  side  where  the  depth  of  the  fissure  was  only  a 
few  feet,  and  escaped  without  injury.  On  the  o[)p08iiG  side  there  was  a 
sheer  descent  of  some  thirty  or  forty  feet,  and  the  consecpiences  of  a  tuiuhlc 
there  would  have  been  serious. 

Close  to  the  ridge  the  ice  was  dirty,  and  mingled  with  the  dihris  of 
rock  and  earth  it  luid  gatliered  in  its  contact  with  the  wall  that  kept  it  in 
place,  but  towards  the  centre  the  appeorance  changed  to  a  piu-e  wliitc. 
Evidently  the  air  was  not  tilled  with  dust  in  this  locality,  or  the  surface  of 
the  glacier  would  have  revealed  it.  George  thought  the  bank  of  the  ghicier 
offered  an  excellent  spot  for  building  a  summer-house,  as  the  site  was  a 
cool  one,  and  the  expense  of  having  the  ice-carts  call  every  morning  would 
be  avoided. 

Fissures  were  numerous,  and  some  of  them  were  concealed  by  freshly 
fallen  snow,  which  greatly  incieased  the  danger.  The  major  ordered  a 
return  to  the  land  at  the  first  favorable  opportunity,  and  their  intention  of 
.crossitig  the  glacier  was  abandoned.  Following  down  two  or  three  hini- 
dred  yards  they  found  a  place  where  the  solid  ice  touched  the  wall  of  rock 
r  id  enabled  them  to  set  foot  on  the  earth  again. 

From  this  point  it  was  decided  to  follow  the  glacier  to  its  mouth,  if  not 
too  far  away.  The  fall  was  so  slight  that  the  surface  was  apparently  level, 
but  still  there  must  be  a  fall  in  oider  to  give  the  mass  a  movement  on- 
v.ard.  There  was  no  living  thing  on  the  surface  of  the  glacier,  but  in  a 
little  valley  enclosed  by  some  of  the  hills  which  formed  the  ridge  the  Doc- 
tor saw  a  herd  of  musk-cattle  plucking  the  very  scanty  herbage  that  giew 
there.  Creeping  around,  so  as  not  to  alarm  them,  he  managed  to  get  a 
shot  at  close  range,  and  brought  down  one  of  these  animals  of  the  far 
North.  The  rest  ran  away  at  the  report  of  the  rifle,  and  at  the  apparition 
of  the  strange  beings  that  rose  from  the  ground  as  soon  as  the  shot  was 
fired. 

"  Now  that  we  have  a  musk-ox,"  said  the  major, ''  what  will  we  do 
with  it?" 

The  question  was  a  perplexing  one.  As  they  were  unable  to  carry  the 
meat  to  camp,  and  had  no  means  of  cooking  it  where  they  were,  it  was 
decided  that  they  would  return  that  way  if  practicable,  and  take  enough 
of  the  meat  to  camp  to  have  some  fresh  steaks  for  supper,  provided  the 
beat's  and  foxes  did  not  come  upon  the  prize  in  their  absence. 

As  this  is  the  first  of  these  animals  that  we  have  seen,  we  may  as  well 
give  a  description  of  him. 


we  CIO 

an-y  the 

),  it  was 

enongli 

ided  the 

:  as  well 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THK   MUSK-OX. 


219 


A    MUSK-OX. 


The  tniibk-ox  is  peculiar  to  the  polar  re<:jioiis  of  America,  and  its  ranijo 
is  contiiifd  to  the  Arctic  Circle,  or  very  near  it.  It  is  twice  as  hir<^'e  as  the 
reindeer,  and  when  full  grown  is  little  if  any  smaller  than  a  cow  two  years 
old;  it  has  strotig  horns  that  hend  around  the  head  like  those  of  tlio  wild 
sheep  of  tiie  llocky  Mountains,  or 
wilil  goat  of  the  Himalayas,  and 
its  hody  is  covered  with  long  hair 
to  prote(!t  it  from  the  cold.  The 
flesli  when  fat  is  not  much  unlike 
beef,  and  has  an  agreealdo  flavor; 
hut  when  the  animal  is  lean,  it  has 
a  strong  siriell  of  musk  which  oidy 
a  ravenous  appetite  can  overcome. 
Expeditions  in  the  arctic  regions 
have  frequently  relied  on  the  musk- 
ox  for  their  supply  of  fresh  meat, 
and  in  several  instances  these  ani- 
mals have  been   the  sole  support 

of  parties  for  several  months.     They  are  not  easy  to  approach,  and  can 
run  very  fast  in  spite  of  the  shortness  of  their  legs. 

So  nnich  for  the  musk-ox,  which  our  friends  left  with  a  sigh,  and  the 
Doctor  half  regretted  having  wasted  a  bullet  upon.  "What  a  pity  he  did 
not  come  down  to  our  camp  to  be  shot,"  said  Fred,  "  as  lie  would  then  have 
been  handy  for  us  to  use.  The  only  proper  way  of  hunting  is  to  bring 
in  your  game  alive,  and  then  kill  it  when  it  is  wanted." 

They  traced  the  course  of  the  glacier  to  the  sea,  but  found  nothing  oi 
consequence  after  walking  Ave  or  six  miles.  Then  it  was  time  to  return, 
and  they  decided  to  follow  the  shore  back  to  camp — or  rather  the  Doctor 
and  the  major  did  so,  while  the  youtiis  went  to  bring  in  the  steaks  for  sup- 
per. The  walking  was  not  so  easy  along  the  shore  as  it  was  at  the  ridge 
farther  iidand.  A  good  deal  of  the  ground  was  covered  with  snow,  and 
all  the  hollows  were  filled  with  it;  generally  it  was  hard  enough  to  bear 
the  weight  of  a  man,  but  this  was  not  always  the  case,  and  whenever  it 
gave  way  the  walking  was  laborious. 

In  some  places  the  shore  sloped  from  tlie  ridge  down  to  the  water,  or 
rather  to  the  ice,  while  in  others  it  was  steep  and  precipitous.  Wherever 
there  were  any  cliffs  there  was  a  great  number  of  birds,  and  their  tameness 
showed  that  they  were  not  accustomed  to  the  visits  of  man.  There  were 
gulls,  auks,  eider-ducks,  lumme,  and  several  other  members  of  the  feathered 
tribe,  but  it  was  too  early  in  the  season  to  find  tiieir  nests.     Ten  or  twelve 


I 


w 


220 


THK   VOYAOE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


i. 


Pn 


(lucks  wore  olttaiiu'd  l)y  kiiockin*^  tlioin  down  witli  PtoJios,  nnd  tlio  iiuijot* 
Hiiid  lio  could  have  killed  a  liuiidrcd  in  this  way  if  ho  hud  wished  to  do  bo. 
Ileio  and  there,  where  the  fj;roun(l  Hloped  to  tho  water,  they  found  pieces 
of  drift-wood,  and  when  they  nMurluul  the  canii)  tho  nnijor  waft  rejoiced  to 
find  that  tho  do<if-drivors  had  had  the  forefho\ii^ht  to  gather  enou<^h  \N(mm| 
during  tin;  day  to  make  an  excellent  tiro.  Thus  the  (iookinir  ''f  their  focil 
was  provided  for,  and  they  were  not  lonj^  in  irettiui;  th(>  diurks  ready  foi- 
hroilinj^,  Tho  youths  arrived  a  few  minutes  after  tho  major  and  l)u(;tor 
had.  reached  camp,  hringing  as  much  of  the  moat  of  the  ox  as  they  could 
well  curry. 


DL'CKS   ON   PKKSIDEM  LAND. 


In  a  quarter  of  an  houi  or  so  the  French  explorers  appealed,  and  were 
welcomed  with  a  loud  chee»  by  the  Americans.  They  had  been  about  ten 
miles  to  the  eastward,  over  ground  similar  to  that  traversed  by  the  Ameri- 
cans, but  somewhat  more  broken,  and  their  progress  had  been  stopped  l)y 
a  ridge  of  rocks  and  a  glacier  which  they  were  unable  to  cross  without 
the  proper  appliances  for  ice-travel.  Just  beyond  the  I'idge  was  a  conical 
rock  two  or  three  hundred  feet  high,  and  so  far  as  they  could  ascertain  it 
was  the  most  elevated  point  in  the  neighborhood.     One  of  the  officers 


DIHCUVEUY   OF  A   COALHi;i). 


001 


TlIK    "  UKVIl/s   TIILMH,"  NEAK  MKLVll.LK    IIAV. 


niade  a  Rkcteli  of  the  rock,  wliich  lio  named  tlie  "Biitto  Napoleon;"  tlio 
major  said  it  resembled  the  "Devil's  Tluimb,"  at  the  entrance  of  Melville 
JJav,  which  had  been  so  named  on  acconnl  of  Its  fancied  similarity  to  an 
enormons  thumb  pointin<^  in  the  air.  Near  the  base  of  this  ridi^e  a  seam 
of  coal  was  found,  and  the  indications  on  the  surfa(!e  showed  that  it  was 
aiii)arently  of  great  extent.  George  and  Fred  at  once  suggested  the  for- 
mation of  the  "  Vivian-Gambetta  Coal  Company,  Limited,"  but  the  party 
was  altogether  too  weary  from  the  day's  exertions  to  draw  up  the  articles 
of  incorporation. 

The  Gamhetta  party  had  been  successful  in  hunting,  as  they  had  killed 
a  bear  which  proved  botli  young  and  fat,  and  what  was  of  more  conse- 
quence, he  was  shot  within  less  than  half  a  mile  of  camp.     The  skin  was 


222 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


liii 


ll. 


Utilized  as  a  sledge  for  transporting  the  meat  to  the  sea-shore,  and  by  tlio 
time  the  sun  went  down  all  the  explorers  were  at  their  tents.  The  Amer- 
icans divided  their  ducks  and  beefsteaks  with  their  French  allies,  and  the 
latter  returned  the  compliment  with  an  abundant  supply  of  bear-meat,  for 
feeding  the  dogs  from  the  Vivian.  Men  and  dogs  went  to  sleep  with  full 
stomachs — an  excellent  pre[)aration  for  the  fatigues  of  the  return  journey 
to  the  ships. 

In  the  morning  there  was  some  difficulty  in  getting  the  sledges  on  the 
ice  again,  as  there  was  a  movement  of  the  field  along  the  shore.  During 
the  night  a  strong  breeze  blew  from  the  south-west,  and  an  hour  or  so 
after  it  set  in  the  crashing  and  grinding  of  the  ice  along  the  shore  showed 
that  it  was  in  ujotion.  Cracks  and  narrow  lanes  were  opened  in  two  or 
three  places,  and  a  good  many  huge  blocks  were  forced  upon  the  beach. 
It  was  evident  that  the  explorers  ought  to  get  back  to  the  ships  as  bpeedily 
as  possible,  or  they  nn'ght  find  themselves  altogether  cut  off  from  reti-eat 
by  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice. 


AN   KMPTY   SLEDGK. 


A  practicable  spot  was  found  close  to  the  French  tent,  and,  without 
waiting  for  breahfast,  all  the  teams  started  over  the  route  they  had  come 
a  couple  of  days  before.  Following  the  lane  already  described,  through 
the  rough  ice,  they  reached  the  smooth  field  and  then  iialted  for  rest  and 
food,  Tlie  remains  of  the  supper  of  the  previous  evening  served  for  the 
morning  meal,  with  the  addition  of  pemmican  and  tea;  the  dogs  looked 
wistfully  on,  but  it  would  have  been  contrary  to  custom  to  feed  thoni  im- 
mediately before  the  long  run  which  they  were  to  make.  Soon  as  breakfast 
was  over  the  journey  was  resumed;  but  it  was  not  accomplished  as  quickly 
as  the  outward  one,  owing  to  several  cracks  in  the  ice,  over  which  it  was 
necessary  to  lift  the  sledges.  Before  the  line  of  hummocks  was  reached 
the  ships  were  plainly  discernible,  and  each  had  a  large  flag  flying,  to 
enable  them  to  be  made  out  as  easily  as  possible.  The  major  thought 
the  position  of  the  ships  had  been  changed  considerably  since  the  party 


AGAIN  ON  THE   SHIPS.— A  GALE. 


223 


left  them,  and  the  Doctor  agreed  with  him.  It  seemed  that  they  were 
further  to  the  cast  tlian  before,  and  evidently  the  drifting  had  increased 
during  their  absence. 

AVhen  they  readied  home  again  they  were  welcomed  with  all  the  hon- 
ors. Both  ships  were  dressed  in  Hags,  a  salute  of  two  guns  was  tired  by 
the  Vivian  and  a  similar  one  by  the  Gambetia^  and  the  crews  were  ranged 
at  the  gangway  to  greet  the  travellers  with  three  ringing  cheers.  Com- 
mander Ih'onson  said  he  had  been  watching  for  their  return  since  morn- 
ing, and  the  movement  of  the  ice  had  caused  a  good  deal  of  alarm  for 
their  safety.  A  man  had  been  kept  in  the  crow's-nest  with  the  most  pow- 
erful glass  the  ship  possessed,  to  watch  out  for  them  and  report  their  ap- 
proach ;  and  the  same  precaution  had  been  taken  on  the  Gambetta.  The 
lookout  on  the  latter  ship  was  the  first  to  announce  the  return  of  the 
sledges,  and  therefore  the  French  captain  was  consoled,  to  some  extent  at 
least,  foi  the  march  the  Americans  had  stolen  on  him  in  starting  ahead 
of  his  party,  and  taking  possession  of  the  land  before  his  people  could  get 
there. 

It  was  late  .in  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  from  land  when  the 
sledges  reached  the  ships,  and  the  wearisome  journey  was  ended.  The 
best  supper  that  could  be  provided  on  board  the  Vivian  was  ready  for 
our  friends,  and  they  sat  down  to  it  with  the  keenest  of  appetites.  During 
the  progress  of  the  meal  they  told  the  story  of  their  adventures,  and  of 
the  addition  they  had  made  to  the  geography  of  the  arctic  regions.  After 
supper  Fred  proceeded  to  designate  on  the  map  the  position  of  President 
Land;  the  point  where  the  sledges  reached  it  was  set  down  as  latitude 
83°  24'  north,  longitude  115°  10'  west.  It  M'as  known  to  extend  about 
ten  miles  east  and  west  from  that  point,  but  of  its  area  to  the  north  they 
were  entirely  ignorant. 

The  breeze  continued  to  blow  from  the  south-west,  and  by  morning  it 
had  increased  to  half  a  gale.  The  ice  heaved  and  cracked  in  many  places, 
and  the  progress  of  the  field  to  the  north  and  east  was  more  rajnd  than 
ever.  Everybody  was  on  the  alert,  and  tli';  developments  of  each  hour 
were  looked  forward  to  with  the  greatest  an  icty.  The  dogs  and  sledges 
were  taken  on  board  the  ship,  but  the  casks  of  provisions  that  had  been 
placed  there  in  the  event  of  the  sinking  of  the  Vivian  were  allowed  to 
remain,  as  they  might  be  needed  at  any  moment.  While  it  was  desirable 
to  be  prepared  for  the  loss  of  the  ship,  it  was  equally  necessary  to  be 
ready  to  float  away  in  her  in  case  she  should  be  released  from  her  icy 
prison.  The  boats  were  made  ready  for  launching;  clothing,  provisions, 
and  equipments  v.-ere  piled  close  to  the  rail,  ready  to  be  thrown  out  at  a 


224 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


motneiit's  warning;  and  those  who  were  not  on  duty  went  to  sleep  with 
their  clothes  on  and  their  kuapsauks  by  their  sides.  It  is  hardly  necessary 
to  add  that,  under  the  circumstances,  nobody  slept  soundly. 

Discipline  was  carefully  maintained.  The  watches  were  changed  as 
regularly  as  though  the  weather  was  of  the  linest  and  the  ship  weve  sail- 
ing across  the  Pacific  under  the  steady  influence  of  the  trade-wind.  As 
the  day  advanced,  the  movement  of  the  ice  increased ;  a  little  past  noon 
a  large  crack  opened  from  the  bow  directly  ahead,  and  another  parallel  to 
it  a  hundred  yards  away.  About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  the  man  in 
the  crow's  nest  called  out  "Za/jc?/"  and  of  course  everybody  was  full  of 
anxiety  to  see  it. 


COAST   SCENE    IN   THE    ABCTIC    CIRCLE. 


h-i,:    i, 


It  was  fully  half  an  hour  before  it  could  be  made  out  from  the  deck, 
and  then  only  faintly.  From  the  course  they  had  been  drifting  it  was 
evident  that  the  land  in  sight  was  the  region  lately  visited  by  the  sledges, 
and  if  they  continued  to  go  on  as  they  were  then  proceeding,  they  wouM 
be  close  upon  it  by  the  following  morning.  The  Doctor  went  t<>  the 
crow's-nest,  and  was  quite  positive  he  could  recognize  the  "Butte  iS^upo- 
leon"  from  the  description  and  drawing  of  the  French  ofticers.  It  was 
thouirht  that  the  land  was  about  fifteen  miles  distant,  and  in  the  course 
fchey  were  drifting  they  would  pass  to  the  eastward  of  it. 


IN  A  HIGH  LATITUDE. 


225 


Some  of  our  readers  may  wonder  that  they  were  so  near  the  land  be- 
fore seeing  it.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  island  was  covered  with 
snow,  except  in  a  few  places,  and  consequently  its  appearance  was  almost 
identical  with  that  of  the  ice-tields  which  surrounded  it.  The  weather 
was  hazy,  and  a  clear  horizon  was  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule ;  and 
furthermore,  the  land  was  not  sufficiently  elevated  to  be  visible  at  a  great 
distance,  even  if  all  the  other  conditions  had  been  favorable. 

"  Well,  we  can't  go  ashore  just  now,"  said  the  Doctor,  when  he  returned 
to  the  deck,  "and  it's  lucky  wo  embraced  the  opportunity  when  we  did." 

"  Yes,"  responded  the  major,  "and  it's  luckier  that  we  embraced  the 
opportunity  to  get  back  again.  If  we  had  remained  there  another  day 
it  is  doubtfid  if  we  would  have  returned  at  all." 

The  subject  was  not  a  pleasant  one  for  contemplation.  Nobody  liked 
to  think  what  would  have  been  their  fate  if  left  on  that  desolate  and 
hitherto  unknown  island,  and  the  conversation  took  another  turn. 

"If  we  go  on  hi  this  way  without  accident,"  said  the  commander,"  we 
may  be  at  the  pole  before  the  middle  of  summer.  But  I  confess  I  don't 
understand  it  altogether." 

"Nor  do  I,"  said  Captain  Jones,  who  had  just  joined  the  groiij). 
"Here  is  the  ice  threatening  to  break  up  in  the  beginning  of  May,  fully 
two  tnonths  before  we  have  iiuy  reason  to  expect  it.  It  looks  very  much 
as  thouffh  we  were  on  the  holders  of  the  Polvnia  of  the  Russians,  and  the 
barrier  was  about  to  divide,  and  let  t  s  into  the  open  polar  sea." 

"At  any  rate,"  replied  the  conunander,  "we  are  beyond  the  latitude 
of  any  previous  navigator,  and  must  not  be  surprised  at  anything.  By  to- 
ujorrow  noon  we  will  be  north  of  the  84th  parallel  of  latitude,  which  has 
never  yet  been  passed  by  man.  Parry  turned  back  at  82°  45' ;  Hayes  at 
81°  37'.  Captain  Markham,  of  the  British  Expedition  of  1876,  reached 
the  highest  point  yet  attained,  S3°  20'  20."  In  1881  the  United  States  ship 
AUlance,  in  search  of  the  Jeaniutte,  went  along  the  coast  of  Spitzbergen  to 
80°  10'  north,  and  longitude  11°  22'  east.  Aiid  here  we  are,  within  six 
degrees  or  three  liundred  and  sixty  miles  of  the  pole !     If  we  can — " 

x\  call  from  the  lookout  aloft  arrested  their  attention.  Captain  Jones 
mounted  rapidly  to  the  crow's-nest,  and  then,  with  more  excitement  than 
was  usual  with  him,  he  shouted  to  Commander  Bronson. 

The  latter  lost  no  time  in  ascending  to  the  captain's  side.  The  rest 
of  the  party  waited  breathlessly  below  while  their  superiors  were  observ- 
ing the  state  of  the  ice,  and  the  conditions  ahead  of  the  drifting  floe. 
After  what  seemed  hours  to  our  friends,  but  was  really  less  than  twenty 
minutes,  the  commander  returned  to  the  deck,  leaving  the  captain  aloft. 

16 


1-  * ,       r- 


220 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


'•The  way  we  are  now  drifting,"  said  lie, '•will  eariy  ns  close  to  what 
appears  to  be  a  point  of  land  projecting  to  the  eastward  of  the  'Euttc 
Napoleon.'  The  ice  is  being  forced  on  this  point,  and  we  can  see  it  heav- 
ing and  breaking,  and  piling  np  as  it  is  pushed  onward  by  the  wind  and 
current.  Outside  the  point  the  floes  are  niuch  broken,  and  our  position 
is  a  i)erilous  one.  If  we  drift  upon  the  point  we  shall  be  hopelessly 
wrecked,  unless  something  little  short  of  a  miracle  should  save  us;  if  we 


A    SllKLTKU    FROM    TllK    ICK. 


clear  the  point  we  shall  be  in  da?iger  from  the  floes  that  are  crashing 
against  each  other,  and  our  hope  must  rest  in  the  unusual  strength  of  our 
ship.  As  we  are  going  we  can  hope  to  clear  the  point,  but  may  not  do  so; 
the  Gamhetta  will  certainly  clear  it,  but  then  she  will  be  in  the  peril  I  have 
mentioned  from  the  breaking  of  the  ice." 


A  GLOOMY  PROSPECT. 


227 


wlmt 
Butte 
lieav- 
d  and 
ositiuii 
lessl  V 
if  Wii 


The  casks  of  provisions  were  hoisted  on  board  and  piled  close  to  the 
rail,  where  they  could  he  thrown  overboard  in  case  of  necessity. 

The  sun  had  set,  and  the  twilight  of  the  arctic  was  upon  them.  "  Shall 
we  ever  see  the  sun  again  ?"  was  the  question  which  each  asked  himself  as 
ho  watched  the  disappearance  of  the  orb  of  day. 

The  captain  descended  from  tiie  rigging,  and  the  party  retired  to  the 
cabin.  They  could  plainly  hear  the  creaking  and  groaning  of  the  shi[) 
as  the  ice  moved  around  her,  and  occasionally  there  catne  a  sound  louder 
than  usual  wiiich  told  of  the  exti-aordiiiary  strain  upon  their  floating  home. 
There  was  little  conversation  at  supi)er,  and  as  sooii  as  the  meal  was  over 
the  commander  said  they  nnist  get  what  sleep  they  could  during  the  ni^ht, 
and  be  prepared  to  leave  the  ship  at  any  moment.  The  same  precautions 
were  taken  as  on  the  night  before,  but  every  one  realized  that  the  peril 
was  more  imminent,  and  escape  froni  the  ship  was  by  no  means  indicative 
of  an  escape  with  life. 

There  was  little  sleep  on  the  Vivian,  and  the  same  was  doubtless  the 
case  on  the  Gambetta.  All  were  anxious  for  the  morning,  and  for  hours 
and  hours  it  seemed  to  Fred  and  George  that  the  darkness  was  without 
end. 


EFFECT   OF   AN    ARCTIC  GALE. 


228 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


'ti 


M'J 


ESCAPE  FROM  THE  ICE.— IX  THE  OPEN"  POLAR  SEA.— STEAMIXG  AND  SAILING  TO 

THE  NORTH. 


w 


ITII  the  first  blush  of  dawn  our  vouiii.  iiiends  were  on  deck.     Fred 
recalled  the  hues  in  one  of  his  school-books: 

"  The  night,  the  long,  dark  night  at  lust 

Passed  fearfully  away. 
'Mid  crashing  ice  and  howling  blast 

They  hailed  the  dawn  of  day, 
Which  broke  to  cheer  tlie  whaler'.s  crew. 
And  wide  around  its  gray  ligiit  threw." 

The  Vivian  was  standing  npright  in  the  ice,  as  she  had  stood  for 
weeks,  but  the  Gainbetta  was  heeled  over  so  that  her  3'ards  almost  touched 
the  water.  The  point  of  land,  concerning  which  there  had  been  so  much 
anxiety  on  the  previous  evening,  was  about  a  mile  away,  on  the  port  side 
of  the  Vivian^  and  thb  ice  was  piled  upon  it  in  great  masses,  which  ap- 
peared in  some  places  hundreds  of  feet  in  height.  It  was  an  innnense 
relief  to  know  that  the  ship  had  weathered  this  miniature  cape,  and  they 
had  not  to  contend  with  the  horror  of  being  dashed  upon  it.  And  oh ! 
welcome  sight,  which  they  had  not  known  through  all  that  long  winter, 
beyond  the  jutting  point  there  was  an  expanse  of  open  water!  True,  it  was 
encumbered  with  cakes  of  ice  that  stippled  its  surface  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  see,  but  compared  with  what  they  had  known  during  their  iniprison- 
n)ent,  it  was  like  a  pellucid  lake  in  the  mountains. 

Around  them  the  ice-tield  was  cracked  and  broken  in  many  places, 
and  several  lanes  of  water  were  visible.  The  telegraph  line  connecting 
the  ships  had  been  taken  up  soon  after  the  return  of  the  explorers  from 
the  island,  and  when  the  increasing  wind  made  it  probable  that  the  ice 
would  move  more  rapidly  to  the  noithward.  The  route  where  the  M'iro 
had  been  stretched  could  be  traced  over  the  mounds  of  ice,  except  in  two 
or  three  places  where  there  had  been  extensive  breaks  in  the  field,  and 
some  of  the  mounds  had  altogether  disappeared.    Communication  between 


RELEASED  FROM  THE   ICY  PRISON. 


229 


the  ships  was  conducted  by  signal-flags;  when  the  Gambetta  heeled  over, 
our  friends  expected  every  moment  the  announcement  that  she  was  sink- 
ing, but  as  she  disphiyed  no  signal,  it  was  concluded  that  there  was  no 
immediate  danger. 

They  drifted  with  the  ice  as  befoio,  but  nppcared  to  move  in  a  circui- 
tous direction,  in  consequence  of  the  edge  of  the  field  impinging  on  the 
land.  Suddenly  there  was  a  loud  crash,  and  the  ice  split  in  front  of  them, 
directly  in  line  of  the  crack  which  had  opened  the  evening  before.  The 
land-ice,  as  we  may  call  it,  swung  away  from  the  ship,  while  the  rest  re- 
mained practically  in  its  former  positi'  '» ;  then  the  Vivian  heeled  over, 
broke  loose  from  the  floe,  righted  to  an  even  keel,  and  was  afloat! 


lifii 


NEAR  THE    ICE. 


Tue  captain  ordered  the  engineer  to  get  up  steam  as  soon  as  possible. 
The  fires  were  ready  for  lighting,  and  in  a  few  minutes  a  dense  volume  of 
smoke  was  pouring  from  the  funnel. 

The  lane  in  front  of  them  widened  as  the  floes  swung  apart  from  each 
other,  and  though  the  water  was  full  of  floating  cakes,  it  was  comparatively 
open  and  suitable  for  navigation.  Pending  the  readiness  of  the  engines 
to  propel  the  ship,  the  sails  were  spread;  their  influence  was  quickly  felt, 
and  almost  instantly  the  Vivian  was  forging  ahead,  with  the  water  rippling 
beneath  her  bows. 

In  spite  of  the  peril  of  their  position,  witli  the  ice  on  three  sides  and 


Il 


m 


CUP-. 


■4 


.!'"l 


230 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


the  land  on  the  fourth,  Capttiiii  Jones  called  for  three  cheers  as  the  ship 
hega;  to  move.  Officers  and  men  ret^ponded  with  all  the  vigor  of  their 
lungs;  whatever  dano^er  might  threaten  them,  it  was  a  great  delight  to  he 
free  once  more,  and  they  signified  their  feelings  by  the  energy  with  whicli 
they  cheered.  As  the  last  cheer  died  away  the  (fanthetta  i'dsc  from  her 
reclining  position  to  an  even  keel ;  the  Viviati  lirel  a  gnn  and  ran  up  a 
flag  in  token  of  congratulation,  to  which  the  French  ship  responded  in  the 
same  manner. 

The  lead  showed  ten  fathoms  of  water;  the  captain  ordered  tlie  helm 
aport,  so  that  the  Vivian  could  reach  tiie  expanse  of  water  formed  on  the 
lee  side  of  the  point  of  land  we  have  described.  In  a  little  while  there 
was  sufficient  steam  for  turning  the  screw,  and  with  engines  to  aid  the 
sails  the  Vivian  soon  found  a  harbor. 

At  the  same  time  the  Gambetta  was  in  motion.  The  ice  did  not  open 
as  readily  around  her  as  around  the  Vivian,  for  the  reason  that  it  was  not 
drawn  to  one  side  by  its  contact  with  the  land  ;  but  a  lane  formed,  through 
which  she  crept  slowly  forward,  partly  through  the  aid  of  engines  and 
sails,  and  partly  by  the  efforts  of  her  crew.  The  men  were  sent  out  with 
ice-andiors,  which  they  made  fast  under  the  direction  of  an  officer  sta- 
tioned  in  the  cross-trees;  as  soon  as  an  anchor  was  fixed  it  was  drawn  in 
by  the  steam-winch,  and  thus  the  ship  was  slowly  advanced.  Finally,  only 
a  narrow  line  of  ice  separated  her  from  the  clear  water ;  this  was  blown 
up  with  a  can  of  powder,  and  then  by  hard  pushing  with  her  engines  the 
Gambetta  was  afloat  !'i  the  harbo"  that  lield  the  Vivian. 

Afloat  and  uninjured  after  all  the  peril  they  had  passed  through!  It 
was  an  occasion  for  rejoicing,  and  as  the  Gambetta  swung  parallel  with 
the  Vivian  and  slowed  her  engines,  the  yards  of  both  ships  were  manned 
by  their  crews,  and  the  cheering  that  went  up  from  the  throats  of  those 
happy  sailors  must  have  astonished  the  listening  bears  and  musk-cattle  on 
President  Land.  Never  before  were  the  echoes  of  that  harbor  awakened 
by  human  voices,  nor  yet  by  the  guns  which  fired  a  salute,  each  ship  to 
tiie  other,  in  congratulation  over  their  release  from  imprisonment  in  the 
ice-field  and  the  perils  of  the  escape. 

They  were  in  unknown  watere,  \  ith  the  land  close  aboard ;  consequent- 
ly it  was  necessary  to  proceed  with  caution,  and  the  ships  moved  with  only 
enough  speed  to  give  steerage  -  way.  The  Vivian  was  in  advance,  and 
nearer  shore  than  the  Gambetta,  und  therefore  in  more  danger  of  taking 
the  ground;  slie  kept  the  lead  going  steadily,  but  in  no  place  did  it  show 
less  than  six  fathoms,  and  there  was  no  danger  except  from  hidden  rocks 
or  shoals.  ' 


ENTERING  A  NEW  IIAKDOU. 


231 


1 

T 

T 

The  buy  was  about  four  miles  in  lon^th  from  the  point  of  the  pciiinsulu 
which  had  served  to  break  »ip  tlie  ice,  and  the  next  i)rojection  to  the  north. 
Its  depth  was  something  more  than  two  niih's,  ])erhaps  two  and  a  half, 
and  in  the  direction  the  wind  was  then  blowing  it  was  well  sheltered. 
The  farther  side  was  terminated  by  a 
promontory  or  foreland  which  closely 
resembled  the  North  Foreland  of  Fro- 
bi slier,  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay 
named  after  the  entei'prising  mariner 
of  the  early  days  of  arctic  explora- 
tion. Tlie  waves  were  breaking  at 
the  foot  of  this  promontory,  and  be- 
yond it  the  ice  was  pressing  north- 
ward nnde  the  influence  of  the  wind 
and  current.  As  an  attempt  to  pass 
out  of  the  bay  might  l)ring  the  ships 
into  the  icd  again,  it  was  deemed  pru- 
dent to  anchor,  and  make  an  investi- 
gaf ion  with  the  boats  before  proceed- 
ing. 

Down  went  the  anchors  for  the 
first  time  in  many  weeks,  and  the 
chains  rattling  tluough  the  hawse- 
hole  was  a  welcon)e  sound.  Then 
a  boat  was  lowered  fi'oin  the  Vivian, 
and  another  from  the  Gamhetta:  the 

Vlviati^s  I)oat  rowed  to  the  side  of  the  Gamhetta,  and  it  was  hastily  agreed 
that  she  should  proceed  to  investigate  the  condition  of  the  water  as  far  as 
it  could  be  seen  from  the  top  of  the  jOi'omontory.  Meantime  the  Gam- 
hetta's  boat  would  take  soundings  in  the  direction  of  the  foreland,  and  as 
far  beyond  it  as  would  be  safe  to  ventni'e. 

George  and  the  major  weixi  assigned  to  the  work  of  exploration  with 
the  boat's  crew  from  the  Fiymn,  and  away  they  went  in  the  direction  of 
the  land.  It  was  easy  enough  to  row  over  the  water,  but  not  so  easy  to 
find  a  landing-place. 

Apparently  the  tide  was  out,  and  the  l^each  was  concealed  by  an  ice- 
collar  eighteen  or  twenty  feet  high,  exactly  similar  to  the  ice-collars  which 
exploiers  in  ot'ier  parts  of  the  arctic  seas  have  described.  A  rope  with 
an  ice -anchor  formed  part  of  the  boat's  equipment;  this  anchor  was 
thrown  over  the  ice,  and  after  several  failures  it  caught  and  held  firmly. 


THK    NORTH    FORELAND. 


Si'liiii 


1 4 


i 


r —^^~ 

232                                    THE   VOYACJi:  OF  TTIE   "VIVIAN." 

Two  iiicn  |»ullin<^  upon  it  wirli  tlu'ir  entire  woi 

•jht  were  not  able  to  move 

it,  and  then  the  most  nimble  of  tlie  sailors  el 

imbed  nj)  and  assisted  ihe 

others  to  fallow.     Two  men   were  left  in  the 

boat,  and  the  rest  of  the 

party  aseendeci  the  promontory. 

t/ "'^       '    '  "•''^■^'#-#'^«. 

-  ^ 

1 
s 

H 

h                  /\ 

1 

i 

ki«^' 


t"  •  <\ 


^S^>J 


;;^'/ 


ia^d^ 


''?|! 


W 


^?^^ 


^^-^i^* 


CLIMUINO   ilN    ICK-COI.LAll. 


Ii-  ;( ;. 


I     Pi 


1 

mil 

Pll 


Their  attention  was  attracted  to  the  vast  ntnrd)r/3  of  birds  that  filled 
the  air,  and  flew  so  close  to  the  explorers  as  to  be  easily  knocked  down 
witii  sticks.  George  wanted  to  stop  long  enough  to  get  a  snpi)ly  for  the 
ship,  but  the  major  commanded  that  no  delay  should  be  made,  as  the 
birds  were  altogether  a  secondary  consideration. 

They  had  an  hour  of  the  hardest  kind  of  climbing  to  reach  the  top  of 
the  hill,  as  the  broken  shale  which  lay  in  many  places  retarded  their  foot- 
steps and  frequently  compelled  them  to  fall  on  hands  and  knees.  Geoi'ge 
was  the  first  at  the  top,  w)iere  he  waved  his  cap  and  gave  a  loud  hm'rah ; 
evidently  his  progress  "was  noted  from  the  ships,  as  the  Vivian  dipped 
her  flag  three  times  in  honor  of  his  achievement,  and  the  Gamhetta  did 
likewise. 

The  view  beyond  the  hill  was  encouraging,  as  it  revealed  a  wide  stri[) 
of  open  water  between  the  land  and  the  pack  of  heavy  ice  which  spread 
away  to  the  eastwaid.  This  water  extended  as  far  as  they  could  see,  and 
the  major  decided  without  hesitation  that  it  would  be  quite  safe  to  vent- 
ure into  it.     In  front  of  the  hill  the  ice-pack  was  not  more  than  a  quartei 


GATIIKHINCJ    IIIKUS'   i:(i(;s. 


)>3'.i 


<»f  a  mile  from  liiml ;  tlio  imlieatioiM  wore  tliiit  tlicro  was  plenty  of  wiiter 
lictwet'ii  the  I'oivlaiKl  iiiid  tiie  ice,  though  this  coiiUl  only  l>e  iimdo  eeituiii 
i»y  actual  somidiii^s. 

Deseendiiii;  the  hill  they  took  a  route  <lil'feieiit  from  the  one  hy  which 
thev  went  up:  on  their  wav  down,  when  near  tin;  l»a.se,  thev  had  the  yood- 
fortune  to  come  npon  several  nests  of  the  eider-duck,  •'^  the  variety  known 
as  the  "  kinir,"  which  breeds  earlier  and  farther  n'>rth  than  the  conmi««n 
eider.  The  birds  weie  just  hei^inninjij  their  period  of  nestinj;;  no  nest 
contained   more  than  one  eiji::,  with  the  exception  of  two  or  three  which 


TIIK   I,UMMK    OK  TIIK    NOUTH, 


had  two  eggs  each.     The  major  said  the  eider-duck  usually  lays  from  five 
to  seven  effijs,  and  does  not  begin  incubation  until  about  the  end  of  Mav. 

They  gathered  all  the  eggs  they  could  find,  and  managed  to  get  nearly 
three  dozen.     Thev  killed  eiijht  or  ten  ducks  bv  knockin"-  them  down  with 


t>y4 


Tin:  VOYAUE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


Hticks,  anil  on  reiKrliiuH^  the  boat  tlioy  toiind  tliut  the  hniloi'H  luul  Hccmotl 
as  many  more  by  tlio  Kiinplo  process  of  strikini^  tliein  with  the  oars  wlieii 
tliey  tlew  or  Kwani  near  tlie  boat.  tSeverul  binune  and  anks  luul  been 
taken  in  tlio  same  way,  and  when  the  boat  returned  to  the  I'iridn  it  had 
a  good  siijujly  of  food  f»»r  the  caiiin  table. 

(reoi'i^e  was  surprised  to  find  that  tlie  o<;iif  of  the  eider-duck  is  about 
twice  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg;  and  when  the  harvest  of  the  day  had  passed 
through  the  hands  of  the  cook,  he  decided  t!uit  the  eggs  were  as  delicious 
.as  they  were  lai'ge.  While  the  party  was  discussing  the  novel  dinner, 
Captain  Jones  said  these  eggs  were  considered  the  greatest  of  all  delica- 
cies by  the  Labrador  tishennen;  and  in  the  season  when  they  were  obtain- 
able the  whalers  in  the  far  North  had  all  they  wanted  to  eat.  He  said 
ho  luul  frequently  gathered  fifteen  or  twenty  dozen  in  half  aji  hour  or  so 
on  the  islautls  where  the  ducks  have  their  breed iug-i)lace8,  and  that  the 
down  fronj  the  nests  paid  them  handsomely  for  their  work. 

Cieorge's  ciwiosity  was  aroused,  and  he  wished  to  know  more  of  the 
process  of  obtaining  down  from  the  eider-diM;k. 

"I  can't  tell  you  exactly,"  replied  the  captain,  "as  1  liave  never  studied 
the  habits  of  the  bird  very  carefully ;  but  1  bidieve  that  when  the  eggs  arc 
laid  the  fenuvlo  plucks  the  down  fn^m  her  breast  and  places  it  around 
and  beneath  them.  After  she  begins  incubation  the  male  bird  deserts 
her,  and  when  she  has  occasion  to  leave  the  nest  in  search  of  food,  she 
l)ulls  the  down  over  the  eggs  to  keep  them  warm  during  her  absence. 
If  the  nest  is  robbed  of  e<rgs  and  down,  she  finds  another  mate  and  beirins 
the  work  over  again;  and  if  she  is  robbed  a  second  time, she  seeks  a  new 
mate.  As  she  has  stripped  her  breast  of  all  its  down  to  8U[)ply  the  two 
nests,  the  third  is  supplied  by  her  last  companio)». 

"The  down  from  a  nest  will  till  vour  hat,  but  it  doesn't  wei<;h  more 
than  an  oinice,  and  generally  less.  I  have  seen  nests  that  yielded  two 
or  three  ounces,  and  have  heard  of  some  that  contained  half  a  pound  of 
down,  but  I  never  saw  them,  and  vei'y  much  doubt  if  anybody  else  ever 
did." 

The  captain  further  said  that  the  down  was  worth  three  or  four  dol- 
lars a  pound  in  the  English  market,  and  was  highly  prized  on  account  of 
its  lightness  and  warmth. 

While  our  friends  were  absent  on  land  another  boat  had  been  making 
a  survey  of  the  harbor  under  the  charge  of  the  Doctor  and  Fred.  They 
had  taken  soundings  in  several  places,  finding  plenty  of  water  for  anchor- 
ing within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  shore,  and  made  a  tracing  of  the  shore- 
line, together  with  the  bearings,  both  true  and  magnetic.     They  named 


li:avin(j  ijh()X8()n  ha  v. 


235 


tlio  plivco  "IJmnson  I'liy,"  in  lioiioi*  ttf  tliyir  comnmiKlcr,  and  with  tlm 
jisHcnt  (tf  tlin  iniijur  the  ]n<Mn(»ntniT  which  tho  hitter  hud  uscciKh'd  was 
dcwiijnutcd  "("lapp's  CiitT,"  in  cuiiMnotnonifion  ul"  the  event  of  tht;  diiy. 

Mejintinie  the  crew  of  the  (lainhiWCm  hctiit  hud  math!  honiidiiiix.s  ti>  the 
I'ntnt  of  the  forehind,  and  foinid  pk'iity  of  water;  they  were  in  some 
duni^er  from  the  waves,  which  hroke  rather  furiously  at  the  huso  (»f  tho 
Hteep  rock,  hnt  hy  keepinj^  well  out  from  tho  shore  they  escu[)ed  accident. 
It  was  decided  to  steam  aronnd  tho  ft)relund  and  into  tho  open  Mutor 
hoyond  it,  und  us  tho  (Jatnhetta  hud  made  tho  boimdings  sho  took  tho  load. 


VIEW    FKOM    TONNKIIS    ISLAND. 


Steaming  slowly  as  before  she  made  tho  passage  withont  hinderance, 
and  then  tho  Vivian  followed.  Once  around  the  foreland  they  had  plenty 
ot"  water;  and  though  it  was  full  of  fragments  of  ice,  like  the  hay  they 
had  just  left,  there  was  not  enough  to  trouble  them.  Keeping  n,  ^harp 
watch  for  shoals  and  rocks,  throwing  the  lead  continually,  and  holding 
themselves  as  far  from  land  as  the  ice-pack  would  permit,  the  vessels  kept 
on  for  some  twenty  miles  or  more,  when  they  were  stopped  by  another 
projection  of  land.  The  ice-})ack  was  crowded  close  np  to  this  projection, 
and  WJ18  80  dense  that  it  was  not  deemed  prudent  to  veuturo  into  it  with- 
out further  investiijation. 


230 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


J' 


Again  t'ley  anchored,  and  this  time  the  fires  were  drawn,  in  order  that 
thoi'c  might  be  no  nnnecessary  consnmption  of  coal.  Besides,  it  was  tlie  end 
of  the  long  arctic  day, and  everybody  was  snfticiently  tired  ont  to  need  a  rest. 

Tlie  next  morning  there  was  great  activity  on  both  ships.  Each  of 
them  sent  a  boat  to  land,  and  another  to  explore  the  bay  where  they  were 
anchored;  the  land  partie.^  were  provided  with  rifles  and  shot-gmis,  as 
well  as  scientific  instruments,  and  were  instructed  to  bring  in  any  game 
they  could  find,  in  addition  to  determining  the  position  of  the  bay  and  the 
chai-acter  of  the  water  beyond,  if  any  could  be  seen.  The  Vivian\s  boat 
was  the  first  to  get  away,  but  it  was  thought  proper  to  allow  the  Gamhetta.^ 
people  to  be  first  on  shore,  inasmuch  as  they  had  given  the  Vlvlan-s 
party  the  exclusive  occupation  on  the  previous  day. 

Without  following  the  movements  of  all  the  parties  in  detail  we  will 
see  what  they  accomplished. 

The  bay  was  simply  an  indentation  in  the  land,  about  \.  'enty  miles 
long,  sheltered  from  southerly  and  north-westerly  winds,  and  other  M'inds 
between  them  to  the  west,  i)ut  open  to  all  others.  It  was  named  "Girard 
J3ay,"  in  honor  of  the  captain  of  the  Gamhetta. 

At  the  northern  end  of  the  bay  there  was  a  steep  cliff  or  bluff  about 
three  hundred  feet  high,  which  was  named  "  French  Head,"  to  commemo- 
rate the  nationality  of  the  flag  that  was  unfurled  from  its  summit. 

The  position  of  French  Head  was  found  to  be  latitude  84°  31'  north, 
longitude  114°  45'  west. 

About  four  miles  sonth  of  French  Head  the  bay  was  studded  with 
rocky  islands,  of  which  only  two  or  three  could  be  visited,  on  account  of 
the  ice  that  filled  the  chaimels.  The  Doctor  and  Fred  climbed  to  the  top 
of  one  of  these  islands  (which  was  named  in  the  Doctor's  honor),  and  the 
young  man  made  a  sketch  of  the  scene  while  they  rested  from  the  fatigue 
of  the  ascent. 

The  party  tliat  ascended  French  Head  reported  that  the  pack-ice  filled 
the  hoi'izon  to  the  eastward,  and  there  was  no  hope  of  escape  in  that  direc- 
tion ;  but  there  was  open  wpter  north  of  the  cliff,  and  the  coast  seemed 
to  trend  away  to  the  westward.  If  they  could  manage  to  pass  the  cliff,  it 
was  the  opinion  of  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  observation  that  they  could 
go  at  least  twenty-five  miles,  and  perhaps  twice  or  three  times  tlfht  dis- 
tance, without  obstruction 

At  one  time  the  ice  seemed  inclined  to  sweep  away  from  French  Head 
and  allow  them  to  pass.  Steam  was  ordered  on  the  ships,  and  the  signal 
of  recall  for  the  boats  was  set;  but  before  they  could  return,  and  the  vessels 
got  rerJv  to  move,  the  ice  closed  in  again. 


A  CHANNEL  DISCOVERED. 


237 


The  parties  were  not  especially  successful  in  hunting,  us  they  saw  noth- 
ing larger  than  birds.  The  fa^t  was  they  had  no  time  to  spend  in  sport, 
as  they  were  chiefly  occni>ied  with  their  observations.  The  second  day  of 
their  stay  in  Girard  Uay  was  principally  devoted  to  hunting;  and  as  the 
birds  were  very  tame,  they  were  knocked  down  by  hundreds.  The  crews 
of  both  ships  had  an  am[)le  repast  from  this  source  of  supply,  and  so  did 
the  dogs,  though  the  latter  wotdd  have  ])refejTed  tisli  or  beef.  They 
bolted  the  birds,  feathei's  and  all,  and  when  a  dog  had  linished  his  oi'ni- 
tholoijical  breakfast  he  had  a  fi'in<je  of  feathers  around  his  muzzle  which 
seemed  to  change  him  i.ito  a  hitherto  unknown  specimen  of  the  canine 
race. 


FUKSCH    HKAD. 


One  of  the  hunting  parties  came  back  Mith  a  report  of  the  existence 
of  a  channel  just  back  of  French  Head,  wiiicli  might  let  tlie  shii)s  through 
into  the  open  water  to  tiie  north.  They  had  entered  it  from  the  little 
group  of  islands  explored  by  Dr.  Tonncr  and  Fred,  and  in  tlieir  cliase  for 
birds  they  ascended  it  a  mile  or  more.  The  'ide  was  runniui;  throiiirh  it 
very  ijentlv,  but  enough  to  show  that  there  was  communication  betwecji 
Girard  Bay  and  some  other  body  of  water. 


J  rtji 


23S 


THK  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VTVIAN." 


n^i 


Ni 


A  couple  of  days  were  spent  in  exploring  tliis  channel,  a  boat  ij^oinf 
from  eacii  ship  for  that  purpose.  Tlie  result  of  the  exploration  was  that 
the  channel  was  found  a  dangerous  one  for  the  ships  to  enter;  it  was 
narrow  in  many  places  and  quite  tortuous,  and  there  were  several  uglv 
rocks  along  the  way.  Tiie  passage  was  possible,  but  very  hazardous,  and 
it  was  determined  not  to  attempt  it  until  all  chance  of  escape  around 
French  Head  was  hopeless. 

For  nearly  a  fortnight  the  ships  remained  at  anchor  in  Girard  Bav, 
waiting  a  favorable  opportunity  to  continue  their  journey.  All  the  S(!ion- 
tific  men  of  the  expeditions  were  busy  with  observations  on  the  floi'a,  the 
fauna,  and  other  productions  of  President  Land,  and  on  the  character  of 
the  rocks,  the  ti'aces  of  miocene  and  pliocene  formations,  and  other  things 
that  interest  the  geologists  and  students  of  natural  history.  George  and 
Fred  were  of  great  assistance  to  their  elders  in  making  the  records  of  the 
observations,  and  in  ])acking  away  the  specimens  of  the  products  of  this 
hitherto  unknown  land. 

One  afternoon  the  wind  chopped  suddenly  round  to  the  westward,  and 
gradually  increased  as  the  hours  went  on.  I3y  six  o'clock  it  was  a  strong 
breeze,  at  nine  it  was  a  high  wind,  at  twelve  it  was  half  a  gale,  and  by 
three  in  the  morning  it  was  a  full-fledged  gale  "  with  its  coat  off,"  as  tiie 
captain  exprobsed  it. 

Each  ship  put  out  an  extra  anchor,  and  everything  Avas  made  snug 
aloft.  "I  think  something  '11  come  of  this  gale,"  said  the  captain,  "and 
we  must  make  the  most  of  it." 

Evidently  "  something  was  to  come  of  it,"  as  the  force  of  the  wind  car- 
ried the  ice  out  to  sea  and  left  the  front  of  Fi<'iich  Head  quite  free  of 
it.  Here  and  there  scattered  fragments  were  visible,  but  nothing  to  im- 
pede the  progress  of  a  ship. 

For  twenty  hours  the  gale  blew  steadily,  and  was  of  the  kind  tliat 
sliaves  the  hair  from  the  back  of  a  dog,  or  removes  the  shoestrings  even 
when  properly  tied.  Then  it  subsided  as  slowly  as  it  had  risen ;  the  fall 
of  the  barometer  was  more  moderate  than  is  the  case  in  southern  latitudes, 
and  it  did  not  begin  until  an  hour  or  so  before  the  cessation  of  the  gale. 

Now  was  the  opportunity  for  the  ships! 

When  the  tempest  had  reached  the  condition  of  half  a  gale  the  fires 
were  started  in  the  furnaces  of  the  ships,  and  by  the  time  it  was  down  to 
a  higli  W'ind  they  were  ready  to  proceed.  Up  came  the  anchors,  and  in 
a  little  while  the  Vivian  and  Gtunhetta  had  rounded  French  Head  and 
were  steaminc:  through  "International  Reach,"  the  name  which  had  been 
given  to  the  stretch  of  water  beyond  the  promontory. 


AN  ADVENTUROUS  JOURNEY. 


200 


%: 


KXI'I-OKIXG    THE    CIIAXNKL. 


240 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


T' 


in 


m' 


"Didn't  I  say  something  would  come  o'  that  gale?"  said  Captain 
Jones,  as  they  steamed  northward.  "  How  I  wish  we  had  a  good  chart 
of  this  reach,  80  that  wo  could  go  ahead  at  full  speed.  It's  less  than  four 
hinidred  miles  to  the  North-pole,  and  who  knows  but  what  we've  got  an 
open  I'oad  to  it  ? 

"1  guess  it's  the  same  hero  as  it  is  in  Smith's  Sound,"  he  continued. 
"  From  the  looks  of  thingR  we've  got  the  land-water  same  as  we  have  it 
there.  Frequently,  when  the  sound  is  full  of  ice,  there's  an  open  stri[) 
along  the  western  side,  and  not  a  few  ships  and  boats  have  nuvdo  their 
way  north  through  that  water." 

Yes,  they  had  the  land-waier,  and  what  was  more,  the  strip  widened 
as  they  went  north ;  or,  rather,  the  land  trended  away  to  the  north-west, 
while  the  edge  of  the  ice-pack  seemed  about  on  a  due  north-and-south 
Hue.  As  they  hauled  away  from  land  the  sounding-lead  showed  a  steady 
deepening  of  the  water.  Five  miles  from  the  shore-line  they  had  thirty 
fathoms,  and  then  it  was  deemed  safe  to  increase  the  speed  to  eight  knots. 
But  all  the  time  the  lead  was  kept  going,  and  a  sharp  lookout  was  main- 
tained in  the  crow's-nest,  on  the  cross-trees,  and  on  the  bowe  Occasion- 
ally the  lead  indicated  the  shoaling  of  the  water,  and  whenever  this  was 
the  case  the  pace  was  reduced  to  little  more  than  steerage-way  until  the 
soundings  deepened  again. 

"There's  one  thing  in  onr  favor,"  said  George  to  Fred,  as  they  wore 
looking  over  the  ship's  side  and  studying  the  line  ol  the  coast  they  were 
passing,  "we  are  in  no  danger  of  collision  with  other  ships  trying  to  cross 
our  track." 

"Don't  be  so  sure  of  that,"  was  the  re])ly.  "Who  knows  bnt  we  may 
encounter  a  ship  that  has  forced  its  way  through  the  ice  above  Smith's 
Sound  and  is  making  for  the  pule,  just  as  we  are.  The  same  conditions 
that  have  favored  us  may  give  somebody  else  a  similar  chance." 

George  admitted  the  possibility  of  such  an  event,  but  was  still  inclined 
to  the  opinion  that  they  would  have  plenty  of  sea-room. 

(3bservation  at  noon  showed  they  were  in  latitude  85°  10'  north,  longi- 
tude 113"  50'  west.     Oidy  three  hundred  miles  to  the  pole  I 

The  advancing  season  and  their  high  latitude  had  dispelled  the  arctic 
darkness.  Daylight  was  continuous,  and  there  was  no  necessity  for  lying 
by  for  the  night,  since  practically  the  night  had  ceased  to  exist.  But  for 
the  convenience  of  chronology  they  continued  to  talk  of  day  and  night 
the  same  as  in  more  southern  latitudes,  and  we  will  follow  their  custom. 

By  noon  of  the  second  da}',  after  they  had  ])assed  French  Head,  the 
land  was  nothing  more  than  a  faint  lino  along  the  western  horizon,  while 


AMONG  THE  WHALES. 


241 


tlie  ice-blink  to  the  eastward  showed  that  the  pack  was  still  in  their  nc'gh- 
horliood.  The  wind  was  steady  from  the  west,  and  as  a  prudential  nieas- 
nre  the  fires  were  extinguished,  and  the  ships  relied  altogether  upon  their 
sails. 

The  farther  the  ships  went  from  land  the  less  numerous  were  the  sea- 
birds;  but  not  so  the  whales,  which  were  visible  in  great  numbei's.  Dozens 
of  tliem  were  in  sight  at  once,  and  they  did  not  appear  disturbed  by  the 
presence  of  the  ships.  Evidently  they  were  ignorant  of  the  destructive 
propensities  of  man,  as  they  played  around  the  ships,  and  sometimes  were 
altogetiier  more  familiar  than  was  desirable.  Several  times,  after  diving, 
they  came  up  beneath  the  bows  of  the  Vivian,  and  were  so  near  that  they 
could  have  been  harpooned  from  the  ship.  Once  a  whale  scraped  his  back 
against  the  vessel's  keel,  but  fortunately  for  our  friends  he  seeuic  1  to  treat 
the  affair  as  a  joke,  and  did  not  resent  it.  While  the  thickness  of  the  Viv- 
ian^s  sides  might  have  saved  her  from  injury,  it  would  have  been  a  serious 
matter  if  he  had  dashed  at  her  with  the  immense  momentum  of  his  huge 
body. 

"What  a  place  for  a  whaler!"  said  Captain  Jones,  as  he  looked  at 
the  huge  cetaceans  playing  in  the  waters.  '•  It  beats  the  old  days  of  the 
Okhotsk  Sea  and  Scammon's  Bay,  when  a  ship  could  fill  up  in  a  month 
and  go  home.  Some  of  'em  are  good  for  two  hundred  barrels,  and  they're 
all  to  be  had  for  the  taking." 

"Sail  ho!"  shouted  the  man  in  the  crow's-nest,  and  the  captain's  dream 
of  the  w'.aler  came  to  an  abrupt  termination. 


CURIOUS   APPEAUANCK    OF   THE    SUM. 


16 


:242 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


ICEBERGS  AND   GLACIERS.  —  LAND  AGAIN.  — "LA  TERRE  LAFAYETTE."- 

"  VIVIAN  "  AT  THE  POLE. 


•THE 


"npiIE  last  place  in  tlie  world  for  a  sail!"  exclaimed  the  captain,  as  lie 

-*~   sprang  into  the  rigging,  and  mounted  with  the  agility  of  a  cat.   "  It's 

a  Yankee  pole-hunter,  or  one  of  those  Scotch  whalers  from  Dinidee,  I'm 


sure 


V 


Of  course  there  was  great  excitement  in  the  party  on  deck  during  the 
captain's  absence  aloft,  and  all  sorts  of  conjectures  were  made,  and  vai'ious 
theories  propounded.  The  captain  eyed  the  strange  sail  through  a  glass 
for  at  least  a  quarter  of  an  iiour;  then  he  scanned  the  horizon  in  every 
direction,  again  looked  intently  at  the  sail  for  ten  minutes  or  so,  and  finally 
closed  his  glass  and  returned  to  the  deck. 

"  It's  no  sail  at  all,"  said  he,  with  a  mingled  expression  of  satisfaction 
and  disappointment  on  his  face.  "It's  an  iceberg,  but  it  looks  so  much 
like  a  ship  under  full  sail  that  I  don't  wonder  the  lookout  was  deceived. 

"It's  a  big  one,  too,"  he  continued,  "and  we  shall  probably  see  moie 
of  'em.  It's  lai'ger  than  any  berg  we've  come  across  yet,  and  I'm  curious 
to  know  where  it  came  from." 

A  couple  of  hours  later  another  iceberg  was  reported,  and  some  time 
afterwards  another. 

By  observation  and  dead-reckoning,  when  the  sail  was  announced,  they 
were  within  less  than  two  hundred  miles  of  the  pole.  The  presence  of 
the  icebergs  reduced  greatly  the  probability  of  an  unobstructed  voyage  to 
the  point  where  there  is  neither  latitude  nor  longitude. 

The  iceberg  first  seen  was  about  four  points  off  the  port  bow,  while 
the  second  was  almost  dead  ahead.  It  was  not  considered  advisable  to 
change  the  course  of  the  ship  in  order  to  look  at  one  jnountain  of  ice, 
when  another  could  be  reached  without  any  di\ergence.  The  Vivian  held 
her.  way,  and  in  due  time  reached  and  passed  the  second  iceberg ;  it  was 
so  nearly  in  her  course  that  she  was  obliged  to  turn  aside  a  little  in  order 
to  keep  at  a  respectfid  distance. 


NEAR  AN  ICEBEHG. 


243 


As  well  a8  they  could  estimate  its  size,  it  was  fully  half  a  mile  \ou<^ 
and  a  third  of  a  mile  broad;  ati  enormous  belt  seemed  to  encircle  it,  as 
tliou<^h  the  layer  of  snow  in  one  year  had  been  different  from  what  pre- 
ceded and  f'tlloM'od  it.  This  appearance  is  not  at  all  unusual  in  icebergs; 
Captain  Hall  describes  one  of  exactly  the  same  formation,  and  says  he 
gds:)  it  the  name  of  "the  belted  iceberg,"  on  account  of  its  enormous 
girdle. 


THK    UKLTED    ICKUKHO. 


The  part  of  the  berg  below  the  water  was  much  broader  than  the  por 
tion  above,  and  accounted  for  its  ability  to  float  in  the  depth  they  were 
navigating.  Just  as  they  wei*e  in  front  of  it  a  mass  "  as  lai'ge  as  a  church  " 
broke  off  from  one  side  and  fell  into  the  water  with  a  loud  splash.  The 
wave  it  created  caused  the  Vivian  to  pitch  and  roll  as  though  in  a  heavy 
sea. 

"  You  see  the  advantage  of  not  going  very  near  those  fellows,"  said  the 
captain.  "If  w'e  had  been  close  uj)  to  the  side  of  that  berg  we  might 
have  been  swamped." 

Everybody  coidd  see  the  force  of  the  captain's  assertion,  and  there  was 
no  inclination  for  a  nearer  view  of  the  white-robed  stranijer.  Naturally 
they  discussed  the  origin  of  the  bergs,  and  wondered  whence  they  had  come. 

"  I  think,"  said  the  captain,  "  we  shall  find  land  before  long,  and  that 


244 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


fiij 


M 


I.,,    i 


i 


it  contains  glaciers  which  have  given  birtli  to  these  bergs.  It's  a  pity  wo 
could  not  explore  President  Land  more  thoroughly  than  we  did;  it  would 
bo  interesting  to  know  whether  it  had  more  glaciers  in  it  than  what  we 
saw  there."  •      ,     .  •  .  . 

There  were  many  fragments  of  i(!e  floating  in  the  water;  in  fact,  during 
all  their  voyage  in  the  polar  sea  thus  far,  they  had  never  been  entirely  free 
from  them.  After  passing  the  bergs  wo  have  described,  the  number  of 
floating  fragments  increased,  and  it  began  to  look  as  though  the  way  to 
the  pole  was  far  from  being  an  open  one. 

The  weather  changed  for  the  woi-se :  it  became  colder,  and  the  sky 
was  frequently  overcast.  Once  in  a  while  a  snow-squall  set  in,  and  mudo 
it  impossible  to  see  far  ahead ;  at  stich  times  the  ice  was  decidedly  dan- 
gerous, and  it  becanje  necessary  for  the  ships  to  shorten  sail. 

"After  all,"  said  Connnander  Uronson,  while  they  were  passing  through 
one  of  these  squalls, "  w  j  could  not  expect  a  long  continuance  of  the  flue 
weather  that  followed  tls  gale.  The  polar  regions  can  hardly  be  uimke 
the  rest  of  the  world ;  stor..  .  and  calms  follow  each  other,  and  so  wo  may 
expect  an  offset  to  the  weather  that  has  favored  us." 

The  squall  lasted  for  an  hour  or  more,  and  then  the  sky  became  clear 
again.  The  wind  continued  favorable,  and  by  varying  her  course  now 
and  then  the  Vivian  managed  to  make  good  progress  and  avoid  all  injury 
from  the  ice. 

The  captain's  prediction  was  realized,  for  within  less  than  twenty  hours 
after  he  made  it  land  was  sighted.  It  proved  to  be  some  win,  t  more  moun- 
tainous than  President  Land,  and  as  the  Vivian  approached  it  the  front 
of  a  glacier  was  plainly  to  bo  seen  at  the  end  of  a  triangular  bay.  An 
iceberg  which  had  recently  broken  off  was  lying  inside  the  entrance  of  the 
bay  and  nearly  fllled  it;  the  berg  appeared  to  be  resting  on  the  ground, 
and  the  captain  said  it  would  be  necessary  for  a  good  deal  of  it  to  be 
melted  away  by  the  sun  before  the  rest  could  float  and  find  its  way  out 
to  sea. 

They  coasted  along  the  land,  looking  for  a  good  point  to  send  a  boat 
on  shore,  as  the  bay  where  the  iceberg  lay  w\'is  not  considered  favoi'ablo. 
At  length  an  opening  was  seen  through  a  cliff,  and  as  there  was  good  an- 
chorage in  the  vicinity,  the  Vivian  furled  her  sails  and  came  to  a  stop. 
The  Gamhetta  continued,  with  the  evidtnt  intention  of  sending  a  boat  on 
shore  at  another  point  and  making  the  exploration  as  extensive  as  possible. 

Great  flocks  of  birds  were  seen  on  the  cliffs,  and  while  the  boat  with 
the  Doc'  >r  and  Fred  was  gone  to  explore  the  land,  another  carrying  the 
major  and  Georgo  went  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  game  for  the  table. 


A  DANOEROL'S  POSITION, 


245 


as 
o 

01 

>■ 
f 
c 

> 

o 
m 

Q 


o 
n 

69 
« 

J" 


♦  ■  .  iii 


246 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  TIIL  "VIVIAN." 


-.  m 


r,;  it: 


•i 


-I'  'i 


ii. 


They  row.d  along  towards  tlie  base  of  the  cliff,  and  as  they  did  bo  a 
souijd  reached  their  Ctvi-s  like  the  runjhiing  of  a  railway  train  or  the  fall 
of  a  cascade.  It  increased  as  they  approached  the  cliflf,  and  finally  be- 
came so  loud  th;'.!.  they  co.ild  hardly  hear  each  other.  The  noise  was 
made  by  the  birds  that  had  just  begun  their  period  of  nesting,  or,  as 
George  expressed  it  after  seeing  the  way  the  birde  lay  their  eggs,  "their 
period  of  rocking." 

"  r^ou  observo,"  said  the  major,  "  that  the  face  of  the  clifF  consists  of 
a  series  of  steps  or  ledges  from  one  to  two  or  three  feet  deep.  These  birds 
are  the  lumme,  which  we  saw  on  President  Land,  and  they  are  connnoii 
tlnoj.gh  ul!  the  arctic  '-egions. 

"The  female  lays  only  one  egg, and  this  she  deposits  on  the  bare  ledge 
of  rock.     Look  at  the  creatures  and  see  how  they  t^re  stowed  away  there." 

Geovgo  looked,  and  saw  that  the  birds  were  sitting  close  together,  with 
their  heads  outward,  but  they  were  not  keeping  very  quiet.  In  some 
places  they  were  packed  in  solid  rows,  and  so  near  were  they  to  each 
otiier  that  where  the  ledges  were  narrow  8nd  frequent  they  almost  hid  the 
face  of  the  rock  from  view. 

"  The  female  bird  can  only  cover  her  e^^  lyy  placing  it  upright,"  the 
major  contiinied.  "  This  she  does  with  her  bill,  and  then  she  sits  down 
on  it  and  waits  for  the  hatching.  If  she  doesn't  keep  quiet  she  may  top- 
ple the  egg  over  the  ledge,  where  it  is  broken  by  the  fall,  and  then  she  is 
eggless. 

"  When  she  has  lost  her  ei^'g,  she  watches  her  chance  to  steal  another. 
Tlie  birds  are  obliged  to  leave  tfieir  eggs  occasionally  in  search  of  food, 
and  when  one  does  so  shr  generally  finds  on  her  return  that  some  other 
bird  has  stolen  her  property  and  is  sitting  ui>on  it.  She  accuses  somebody 
of  the  theft,  and  there  is  a  fight ;  and  time's  what  all  that  noise  is  about. 

"Sometimes  the  fight  becomes  general,  and  dozens  of  birds  will  be 
engaged  in  it.  In  the  tumult  many  of  their  eggs  are  rolled  over  the  cliff, 
and  the  losers  content  themselves  by  stealing  the  first  they  can  seize.  For 
this  reason  one  of  these  lumme  rookeries  is  the  noisiest  place  you  can 


imagme. 


5> 


The  first  shot  sent  a  great  many  birds  into  the  air,  and  for  a  time  it 
looked  as  though  a  cloud  had  com ",  between  the  boat  and  the  sun.  Each 
shot  bronght  down  several  birds,  aiid  the  work  did  not  reqiiire  any  exercise 
of  skill.  In  a  little  while  they  had  all  the  boat  could  carry,  and  then  made 
the  best  of  their  way  back  to  the  ship. 

As  there  M'as  no  probability  that  the  shore-party  would  return  for  sev- 
eral hours.  Captain  Jones  decided  to  change  his  anchorage  and  send  out 


ABUNDANCE  OF  OAMK. 


247 


two  boats  to  secure  more  Mrds.  Tho  Gttinbitta  nncliored  two  or  three 
miles  farther  north  than  the  Vivian,  tiWi\  sfiiit  a  boat  on  shore;  then  she 
followed  i\\QVivian''H  oxaiiiiilo  and  sent  two  boats  after  liumno,  so  that  the 
flociks  were  a  good  deal  disturbed. 


SHOOTINO   LDMME. 


Two  or  three  honrs  sufficed  to  supply  both  ships  with  all  the  birds  rhey 
wanted.  The  Inmme  is  less  desirable  than  the  duck  as  an  article  of  food, 
but  he  is  a  great  deal  better  than  no  bird  at  all.  Officers,  men,  and  dogs 
had  all  the  Inmme  they  wanted,  and  the  feast  was  enjoyed  by  all  con- 
cerned. 

The  shore-parties  had  been  ordered  not  to  remain  on  land  more  than 
ten  or  twelve  hours,  and  to  return  immediately  in  case  of  a  signal  to  do 


248 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


I'a 


BO.  A  Bnow- squall  arose,  but  was  of  short  duration,  and  as  there  was 
enough  to  do  in  examining  the  coast  where  the  ships  were  lying,  the  ex- 
plorers on  land  were  allo'red  to  stay  the  full  time  allotted  to  them. 

Twelve  houre  after  their  departure  Fred  and  the  Doctor  returned; 
they  were  pretty  well  tired  out  with  their  excursion,  and  had  excellent  ap- 
petites for  the  dinner  which  awaited  them.  They  reported  that  the  land 
was  principally  a  mass  of  rock,  and  they  had  been  able  to  go  only  about 
two  miles  from  where  they  left  the  boat.  They  had  gone  to  the  rear  of 
the  cliff,  which  they  estimated  to  be  not  far  from  five  hundred  feet  high, 
and  found  that  there  was  a  range  of  hills  in  the  interior,  bordering  a  bioad 
valley  filled  with  a  gla(;ier.  It  was  the  same  glacier  they  had  seen  in  the 
bay,  and  was  much  wider  where  they  saw  it  than  at  its  entrance  into  the 
sea.  Through  an  opening  in  the  hills  they  could  see  another  glacier,  but 
could  give  no  estimate  as  to  its  extent. 

Of  coui'se  they  hoisted  their  flag  at  the  highest  point  they  reached,  and 
allowed  it  to  wave  for  several  mimites  in  the  arctic  breeze.  The  Doctor 
gave  the  name  of ''Mount  Lincoln"  to  the  peak,  but  the  naming  of  the 
land,  of  whose  extent  they  could  not  be  certain,  was  courteously  left  for 
their  French  allies. 

As  soon  as  the  boat  returned  from  shore  the  Vivian  made  sail,  and 
hoisted  the  signal  "  we  wish  to  communicate."  The  Gambetta  remained 
at  her  anchorage,  and  the  Vivian  stopped  again  within  five  hundred  yards 
or  so  of  her  consort.  Meantime,  while  the  Vivian  was  changing  her  posi- 
tion, the  OarnhettaSa  boat  returned,  and  the  Doctor  went  on  board  the 
French  ship  to  compare  notes,  and  ascertain  what  name  would  be  given 
to  their  latest  discovery. 

Captain  Girard  felt  highly  complimented  at  the  politeness  of  the 
Americans,  and  after  a  brieiE  conference  it  was  decided  that  the  new  land 
should  be  set  down  on  their  chart  as  "  La  Terre  Lafayette "  (Lafayette 
Land).  The  position  was  fixed  at  latitude  87°  10'  north,  longitude  112° 
50'  west. 

IjOss  than  three  degrees  from  the  pole ! 

The  French  explorers  had  discovered  a  glacier,  evidently  identical  with 
the  one  seen  by  the  Doctor  and  Fred.  They  had  found  the  rocks  very 
difi^cult  of  ascent,  and  though  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  for  bears,  musk- 
oxen,  and  other  animals,  they  had  seen  none.  One  of  the  Frenchmen 
found  the  tracks  of  a  bear,  but  the  animal  that  made  them  was  evidently 
far  away.  At  all  events  he  did  not  show  himself,  and  the  party  returned 
without  any  trophies  of  the  chase. 

Then  the  Doctor  returned  to  the  Vivian^  and  the  two  ships  filled  away 


CAUGHT  IN  A  FOO. 


240 


on  their  vo3'ago  to  the  North.  It  was  understood  that  they  would  follow 
the  coast  uiilesg  it  trein'cd  too  far  to  the  westward,  but  neither  was  to  be 
hampered  by  the  ntovrjiients  of  the  other.  As  fur  as  tliuy  could  see,  the 
coast-line  was  about  north  and  souMi,  and  if  it  continued  in  that  direction 
it  would  not  carry  them  out  of  their  way. 


VIEW   IN    LAFAYETTE   LAND. 


On  they  went,  but  unforeseen  difficulties  arose.  They  had  not  been 
three  houre  under  way  when  a  dense  fog  set  in,  and  toinpelled  them  to 
lay  to.  "What  with  the  ice  and  the  unknown  coast  it  would  be  dangerous 
to  go  on;  any  moment  they  might  come  in  collision  with  an  iceberg  or  be 
dashed  on  the  rocks,  and  either  fate  was  not  to  be  risked.  The  fog  lay 
thick  about  them  for  several  hours,  and  when  it  lifted,  the  Vivian  was  un- 
pleasantly near  a  jutting  headland,  which  terminated  in  a  mass  of  rough 
and  ugly  rocks.  The  Gambetta  was  about  a  mile  to  the  eastward,  and  close 
under  her  lee  lay  a  huge  iceberg,  towards  which  the  ship  was  slowly  drift- 
ing.    Evidently  the  escape  was  a  narrow  one  for  both  navigators! 

The  sounding-lead  showed  a  depth  of  eighty  or  a  hundred  fathoms  \\\ 
some  places,  and  not  more  than  half  that  amount  a  short  distance  away. 
The  bottom  of  the  eea  was  as  uneven  as  the  land  in  its  neighborhood,  and 
any  minute  they  might  come  on  a  rocky  islet,  with  no  shoals  around  it  to 
give  warning  of  its  proximity. 

The  fog  cleared  away  and  they  made  sail  again.  When  they  had 
gone  three  or  four-  miles,  the  Gambetta  suddenly  backed  her  sails  and 
made  signal  "  I  am  aground."     The  Vivian  answered  that  she  would  go 


r^ 


I 


250 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


1-^ 


to  the  assistance  of  her  companion,  and  as  soon  as  she  could  get  up  steam 
she  moved  to  within  half  a  cable's  length  of  the  stranded  ship.  Mean- 
time the  Gamletta  had  made  steam,  and  a  "?ble  wJis  passed  to  the  Viviati. 
The  latter  pulling  and  the  former  backing  with  all  the  force  of  their  en- 
gines, the  Gambetta  was  soon  afloat  and  apparently  uninjured. 

"Lucky  it  wasn't  a  rock  instead  of  a  shoal,"  said  Captain  .Tones,  as  they 
dropped  the  Gambctta's  cable  and  saw  it  pulled  on  board.  "  I  think  we 
want  water  more  than  land,  and  we'll  give  the  shore  a  wide  berth." 

The  Vivian  headed  off  in  a  north-easterly  direction,  and  the  Gambetta 
did  likewise.  In  a  couple  of  hours  they  had  a  hundred  and  tifty  fathoms 
under  their  keels,  and  no  sign  of  rocks  or  shoals.  Then  Captain  Jones 
ordered  the  northerly  course  to  be  resumed,  but  commanded  the  officer 
of  the  deck  to  maintain  their  present  distance  from  land.  "  If  you  find 
we're  making  it  closer  than  ten  miles,"  said  he,  "you  will  steer  to  the 
eastward.  Keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  islands  or  icebergs,  and  gi'e  'em  all 
the  offing  they  want." 

Steaming  cautiously  along  when  the  weather  favored,  and  slowi^ig 
down  or  stopping  altogether  in  fogs  or  squalls,  the  ships  advanced  to  the 
north.  In  clear  weather  the  land  was  distinctly  visible  over  the  port  side, 
but  too  far  off  for  detailed  observation.  It  seemed  to  be  a  series  of  cliffs 
and  headlands,  with  now  and  then  a  stretch  of  comparatively  level  land 
of  two  or  three  miles.  George  thought  he  saw  a  house  at  the  base  of  one 
of  the  hills,  but  a  careful  observation  showed  it  to  be  a  mass  of  rock  curi- 
ously shaped  like  a  human  jiabitation.  Fred  was  not  to  be  outdone  in 
discoveries,  and  excitedly  annoiuiced  that  he  had  found  a  church  over- 
looking a  small  village  at  the  edge  of  one  of  the  sloping  plaim^.  But  the 
telescope  brought  him  to  grief  as  readily  as  it  had  disappointed  George ; 
the  church  and  village  were  clusters  of  large  rocks,  evidently  dcjposited  by 
a  glacier  or  swept  down  by  a  flood  in  ages  gone  by. 

Every  few  miles  the  white  face  of  a  glacier  was  visible,  and  the  origin 
of  the  icebergs  tl.  t  abounded  in  the  waters  was  no  longer  a  mystery. 

All  things  have  an  end,  arid  this  voyage  to  the  North-pole  was  not  to 
be  an  exception  to  the  rule.  Three  days  after  the  grounding  of  the  Gam- 
bett'i  there  was  unusual  excitement  on  board  the  Viviafi,  and  we  may 
presume  that  the  same  was  the  case  on  the  French  ship. 

The  ship's  position  was  announced  as  latitude  89°  30'  north,  longitude 
111°  west.     The  pole  was  only  thirty  miles  away  ! 

But  this  was  not  all.  On  their  left  the  land  seemed  to  terminate  in  a 
conical  mountain  eight  or  ten  thousand  feet  high,  and  from  the  top  of  this 
mountain  a  coUnnn  of  smoke  and  steam  floated  away  on  the  wind. 


SYMMES'S  HOLE. 


251 


AN    ARCTIC    VOLCANO, 


"  Who  would  Lave  thought  there  was  a  volcano  at  the  pole  ?"  said  one 
of  the  youths,  as  lie  gazed  upon  the  novel  spectacle. 

"Better,  a  good  deal,  than  Sjniines's  Hole,"  remarked  the  Doctor,  in 
reply.     "  Better  for  us,  at  any  rate." 

"  Please  tell  us  about  Synunes's  Hole,"  said  George.  "  Who  was 
Synunes,  and  what  was  his  theory  ?" 

"John  Cleves  Syinnies  was  born  in  New  Jersey  about  1780,"  Dr. 
Tonner  answered,  "and  died  in  Hamilton,  Ohio,  in  1829. 

"lie  was  a  captain  in  the  United  States  Army,  who  fought  bravely 
and  honorably  through  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  afterwards  engaged  in 
supplying  the  troops  on  the  upper  Mississippi  with  provisions.  For  the 
last  ten  years  of  his  life  he  devoted  himself  to  the  elaboration  of  his  theo- 
ries concerning  the  formation  of  the  earth,  and  making  them  known  to 
the  public  by  lectures  and  pamphlets."  ■    •;     • 

"Was  he  what  they  call  a  'crank'  in  these  modern  times?"  one  of  the 
youths  inquired. 

"  It  is  not  always  easy  to  define  the  boundary  between  the  scientific 
theorist  and  the  crank,"  answered  the  Doctor,  "  and  so  I  cannot  answer 
your  qno?tion  by  a  simple  'yes'  or  'no.' 

"  Cuptain  Symmes  believed  that  the  earth  wjis  a  hollow  globe,  open  at 
the  poles,  the  southern  opening  being  somewhat  larger  than  the  northern 


252 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


«(■*■! 


ii  ■ 


one.  According  to  his  theory  the  shell  of  the  earth  was  abont  a  thonsand 
miles  thick,  and  the  northern  opening  two  thonsand  miles  in  diameter. 
Take  an  orange  four  inches  in  diameter,  with  a  very  thick  rind,  cut  holes 
at  top  and  bottom,  each  of  them  one  inch  across,  scoop  ortt  the  interior 
till  only  the  thick  rind  is  left,  and  you  have  a  fair  idea  of  the  shape  of  the 
earth  according  to  Captain  Symines." 

"  But  what  did  he  have  on  the  inside  of  his  globe  ?"  said  Fred. 

"  Tho  inside  was  composed  of  land  and  water,  like  the  outside,"  was 
the  reply.  "  It  was  warmed  and  lighted  by  the  sun  shining  in  through  the 
openings,  first  at  one  end  of  tho  earth  and  then  at  the  other.  The  waters 
flowed  through  these  openings,  just  as  the  currents  flow  on  the  outside,  and 
hi'$  theory  was  that  only  by  such  a  formation  of  the  earth  could  the  eoua- 
torial,  G  ulf  Stream,  and  polar  currents  be  satisfactorily  accounted  for.  The 
inhabitants  of  the  inside  of  the  earth,  if  there  were  any,  lived  on  a  concav- 
ity, just  as  we  live  on  a  convexity,  and  they  had  land  and  water  in  about 
the  same  pi'oportions  as  ourselves, 

"  Captain  Synnnes  brought  forward  a  formidable  array  of  facts  in 
support  of  his  theory,  and  he  had  a  great  many  followers.  His  ideas  were 
based  on  scientific  reasoning,  however  incorrect  may  have  been  his  deduc- 
tions, and  his  pamphlets  were  read  with  interest  at  the  time.  He  delivered 
Jiis  'ectures  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  principally  in  the  west;  in  the 
winter  of  1826-27  he  lectured  before  the  faculty  of  Union  College,  and 
was  listened  to  with  profound  respect  by  the  well-known  doctors,  Knott 
and  Wayland,  Ridicule  was  excited  by  the  peculiarity  of  his  theory,  and 
'Synnnes's  Hole'  became  a  by-word;  but  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  was  a 
num  of  intelligence,  honor,  and  integrity.  He  secured  the  attention  of 
the  scientific  and  scholarly  men  of  his  day,  and  was  so  confident  of  the 
correctness  of  his  theory  that  he  offered  to  command  an  expedition  to 
verify  it." 

At  times  the  clotids  closed  in  upon  the  volcano  and  concealed  it  from 
sight,  and  at  others  only  the  sharp  cone  at  the  summit  was  visible.  Our 
young  friends  longed  to  go  on  shore ,  and  be  the  first  to  ascend  this  hither- 
to unknown  mountain,  but  the  suggestion  was  not  favorably  received. 
*'We  will  visit  the  pole  first  of  all,"  said  Commander  Bronson,  "and  then, 
if  circumstances  favoi",  we'll  explore  the  land  in  tho  vicinity.  The  oppor- 
tunity to  get  to  the  pole  does  not  come  every  day." 

They  left  the  smoking  mountain  behind  tliem  as  they  moved  onward 
towards  the  north.  Before  them  the  sea  was  stippled  with  fragments  and 
patches  of  ice,  but  there  was  no  indication  of  solid  earth.  The  Gamhetta 
was  abeam  of  the  Vivian,  and  about  half  a  mile  distant;  as  the  land 


v.-^ 


■■ii'- 


INCREASING  THE  SPEED. 


253 


began  to  recede,  Cuptain  Jones  observed  that  the  cloud  of  smoke  from  the 
French  fumiel  was  l)ecoming  more  dense,  and  the  ship  was  increasing  lier 
speed.  Just  as  lie  did  so  the  fog  fell  around  them,  and  the  Gamhetta  was 
liidden  from  sight. 

"The  Frenciiman's  trying  to  beat  us  to  the  pole,"  said  the  captain,  as 
he  sprang  to  the  speaking-tube  communicating  with  the  engineer. 


■         \ 

-^"^      /       .-"        .— :j.'.-.^4-?£:^.:<^J^;.ri^_ 

^    --^^^'.•"--.-     "^c^ 

A   VIEW   THROUGH   THE    CLOUDS. 


What  lie  said  to  the  engineer  was  not  andiljle  to  those  on  deck,  as  they 
were  too  far  from  the  bridge  to  hear  distinctly,  but  its  effect  was  to  in- 
crease the  speed  of  the  Vivicm.  As  soon  as  the  steam  could  perform  its 
work  the  screw  was  making  its  maximum  number  of  revolutions  every 
minute.  The  captain  caught  the  first  puff  of  a  breeze  on  his  cheek,  and 
instantly  gave  the  order  for  making  sail.  In  five  minutes  the  sails  were 
filled,  and  away  went  the  Vivian  at  the  highest  speed  she  had  made  since 
passing  the  icy  barrier. 

"  We'll  show  him  a  trick  or  two,"  said  tlie  captain,  displaying  more 
excitement  than  was  his  custom.     "  We  got  that  breeze  just  in  time,  and 


254 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


k  %:' 


I      *.   ' 


if  we  can  lead  him  a  couple  of  r^iles' before  the  fog  lifts  he'll  have  hard 
work  to  make  it  up.     A  stern  chase  is  a  long  chase." 

The  man  at  the  wheel  had  plenty  of  occupation.  The  lookouts  were 
continually  announcing  cakes  of  ice,  and  the  captain  had  to  think  quickly 
in  giving  his  orders.  For  two  or  three  hundred  yards  around  the  ship 
there  was  comparatively  clear  vision,  but  beyond  it  they  had  to  trust  to 
good-fortune.  The  smaller  cakes  were  not  heeded,  but  the  larger  ones  re- 
quired to  be  treated  with  respect,  fo/  fear  of  serious  consequences. 

For  more  than  an  hour  this  excitement  continued,  and  then  the  foo- 
lifted.  There  was  the  Gambetta,  with  her  engines  working  at  their  best, 
but  she  had  neglected  to  make  use  of  her  sails;  the  result  was  she  was 
fully  a  mile  astern  of  the  Vivian,  and  before  she  could  follow  the  latter's 
example  and  spread  her  sails  another  ha  f  mile  had  been  lost. 

And  the  pole  was  less  than  ten  miles  away ! 

"  Good-bye,  sweetheart,  good-bye !"  said  the  captain,  \.'aving  his  hand 
in  the  direction  of  the  Gam^etta.  "  The  American  flag  will  be  the  first 
to  float  over  the  pole." 

Land  was  announced  on  the  port  bow.  The  captain  mounted  to  the 
crovi  Vnest,  and  soon  descended  with  the  report  that  there  appeared  to  be 
an  island  in  the  direction  indicated.  As  well  as  he  could  make  out,  it  was 
a  mass  of  conical  peaks  with  a  volcano  in  the  centi'e ;  but  considering  that 
it  didn't  cover  the  pole,  he  was  not  concerned  about  it  for  the  present. 

To  the  surprise  of  every  one,  the  disappearance  of  the  fog  was  followed 
by  the  disappearance  of  the  ice.  Hai-dly  a  speck  was  visible  in  front  of 
tiiem,  and  there  was  no  hinderance  to  their  pi-ogress.  As  there  was  no 
chance  that  the  Gmnbetta  could  pass  them,  the  sails  were  taken  in  one  by 
one,  but  they  were  only  partially  clewed  up,  lest  their  rival  nn'ght  steal  a 
march  on  them  by  an  unexpected  slant  f)f  the  wind.  Occasionally  the 
engines  were  slowed  a  little  to  enable  the  crew  to  take  soundings,  but  as 
no  bottuiu  could  be  found  with  thirty  fathoms  of  line,  it  was  considered 
safe  to  go  ahead  again  at  full  speed. 

The  elements  combined  in  favor  of  our  friends,  as  the  clouds  and  fog 
rolled  away  and  gave  them  a  clear  horizon  all  around.  The  horizon  seemed 
farther  off  tiian  usual,  but  whether  this  was  the  eifect  of  imagination,  or 
the  peculiarity  of  the  atmosphere,  or  because  the  earth  is  flattened  at  the 
poles,  nobody  could  say.  Whether  the  sun. was  stationary  or  not,  as  Cap- 
tain Ilall  claimed  it  would  be  at  the  pole,  they  were  then  unable  to  de- 
termine, but  with  the  activity  that  prevailed  in  the  use  of  instruments,  a 
speedy  solution  of  the  problem  was  likely.  All  the  quadrants  and  sex- 
tants tiiat  the  ship  contained  had  been  brought  on  deck,  ancj  were  being 


THE  POLE  AT  LAST! 


255 


applied  to  every  nse  of  whitili  they  were  capable.  Of  course  there  were 
no  stars  to  aid  them  while  the  sun  was  shining,  but  fortunately  the  moon 
was  in  the  heavens,  and  proved  of  great  assistance  to  the  navigatore  in 
determining  their  position. 

Whales  and  seals  played  about  the  ship  in  great  numbers,  and  flocks 
of  birds  filled  the  air.  The  pole  was  far  froi  i  being  a  scene  of  desolation, 
so  far  as  animal  life  was  concerned ;  the  captain  endeavored  to  be  calm, 
but  when  the  whales  in  their  total  absence  of  fear  lazily  rolled  on  the  sur- 
face within  fifty  yards  of  tlie  Vivian,  he  could  not  help  thinking  what 
havoc  he  would  make  if  his  mission  had  been  for  oil  instead  of  science. 

When  the  chronometer  indicated  twenty-two  minutes  past  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  (Greenwich  time)  of  the  ninth  day  of  June,  the  Vivian 
described  a  circle  in  Tha  Arctic  Sea,  and  tlien  stopped  her  engines.  The 
captain  announced  that  they  were  exactly  over  tlie  North-pole. 

The  ship  was  dressed  in  bunting,  the  American  flag  being  at  the  fore, 
and  the  tricolor  holding  the  place' of  second  honor.  Tlie  sailors  mounted 
the  rigging  and  gave  three  hearty  cheers,  tlie  guns  fired  a  salute  in  honor 
of  the  achievement,  and  while  it  was  in  progress  the  flags  were  dipped 
three  times,  and  then  three  times  again.  The  Gambetta  ranged  along-side 
and  joined  in  the  demonstration,  and  when  the  noisy  part  of  the  ceremonial 
was  over  the  crew  were  mustered  on  deck,  and  oflicers  and  men  stood 
with  uncovered  heads  while  Commander  Bronson  read,  with  deep  feeling 
expressed  in  his  rich  voice,  the  following  , 


li'l: 


PRATER   AT  THE   NORTH-POLE. 

Written  for  the  use  of  Captain  Hall's  A'orth  Polar  Expedition,  hy  Rev.  Dr.  Xeieman,  of  Washington,  to  he  tued 

only  on  reaching  the  Pole, 

Great  God  of  the  universe !  our  hearts  are  full  of  joy  and  glAdness  for  all  Thy  marvellous  good- 
ness unto  us.  We  have  seen  Thy  woudere  upon  the  deep,  and  amidst  the  everlasting  hills  of  ice, 
and  now  we  behold  the  glory  of  Thy  power  in  this  place  so  long  secluded  from  the  gaze  of  civilized 
man.  Unto  Thee,  who  stretchest  out  the  norih  over  the  empty  place,  and  hangest  the  earth  upon 
nothing ;  who  hath  compassed  the  waters  with  bounds  until  day  and  night  come  to  an  end ;  we 
give  Thee  thanks  for  what  our  eyes  now  behold,  and  for  what  our  hearts  now  feel. 

Glory  be  to  God  on  high,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  towards  men !  We  praise  Thee ;  we  bless 
Thee ;  we  worship  Thee ;  we  glorify  Thee ;  we  give  Thee  thanks  for  Thy  great  gloiy,  O  Lord  God, 
our  heavenly  King!  God  the  Father  Almighty!  Praise  Him  all  ye  llis  works.  Praise  Him  sun, 
moon,  and  stars  of  light.  Praise  Him  ye  heaven  of  heavens,  and  ye  waters  that  be  above  the  heav- 
ens. Praise  the  Lord  from  the  earth,  ye  dragons  and  all  deeps.  Are  and  hail,  snow  and  vapor, 
stormy  winds  fulfilling  His  word;  praise  Him  frost  and  cold,  snow  and  ice,  day  and  night,  summer 
and  winter,  seas  and  floods.  Praise  Him  all  ye  rulers  and  peoples  of  the  earth.  Let  every  thing 
that  hath  breath  praise  the  Lord.  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost, 
as  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be,  world  without  end. 

In  Thy  name,  0  Lord,  we  consecrate  this  poi-tion  of  our  globe  to  liberty,  education,  and  religion, 


\'v:>\ 


256 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


and  may  future  generations  reap  the  advantage  of  our  discoveries.  Bless  tlie  nation  tliat  sent  us 
forth;  bless  the  President  of  our  great  republic;  bless  all  the  people  of  our  favored  land,  whose 
national  banner  we  now  wave  over  this  di.-tant  country.  ^ 

And  now  may  the  God  of  our  fathers  guide  and  direct  our  returning  footsteps  to  those  who 
wait  to  greet  us  witli  joy  in  i,'>e  homes  and  land  we  love.  May  no  evil  befall  us ;  no  sin  stain  our 
souls;  no  error  lead  us  at,-  .ay  from  Thee  and  duty.  Hear  us  for  the  sake  of  Ilim  who  hath  taught 
us  to  pray:  Our  Father  who  art  in  Heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy  name;  Thy  kingd'  ti  come;  Tiiy  will 
be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven ;  give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread;  forgive  us  our  trespasses  as 
we  forgive  them  who  trespass  against  us ;  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  ua  from  evil ;  for 
Thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power,  and  the  glory  forever.    Amen  I 


!    S 


:    ^  1 

,1^ 

■    1 

1 1 

it 

J 


"nk  pu;s  ultra." 


w 


lu 


a 


%  ! 


A  SAILOK'S  IDEA  OF  THE  NOBTH-POLE. 


257 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 


DISCOVERIES  AT  THE  POLE.— LEAVING  THE  POLAR  SEA.— ESCAPE  THROUGH  THE 

ICE-BARKIER. 

FOR  a  description  of  the  land  discovered  by  the  Vivian  as  she  ap- 
proached the  pole,  and  of  the  scientitic  observations  made  by  both 
ships  during  their  stay  in  tlie  open  polar  sea,  we  must  ask  the  reader's  in- 
dulgence. AVe  are  permitted  to  state,  howevei-,  that  nothing  out  of  the 
usual  order  of  things  M'as  found  there.  Disappointment  awaits  those  who 
liave  supposed  that  the  North-pole  is  nothing  more  than  a  flag-staff  firmly 
set  in  tlie  eartli  at  tlie  point  wiiere  there  is  neither  latitude  nor  longitude. 
One  of  the  sailors  of  the  Vivian  was  possessed  with  this  idea,  which  he 
expressed  in  the  hearing  of  Frank.  The  young  gentleman  good-naturedly 
endeavored  to  undeceive  the  illiterate  mariner,  and  made  the  following 
explanation : 

"The  word  'pole,'  as  applied  to  this  part  of  the  earth,  does  not  mean  a 
staff  or  pole  of  wood.  It  is  derived  from  the  Greek  ttoAo^  (polos),  which 
means  a  pivot  or  axis,  and  is  supposed  to  be  the  pivot  on  which  the  earth 
turns  around  once  in  twenty-four  hours." 

"  But  I  don't  see  any  pivot  at  all,"  responded  the  sailor;  "  a'ld  if  there's 
a  shaft  for  the  world  to  turn  on,  it  seems  to  me  there  ought  to  be  a  gudgeon 
for  it  to  turn  in." 

Fred  abandoned  the  attempt  to  give  instruction  in  physical  geography 
to  one  who  was  so  literal"  he  contented  himself  with  the  reflection  that 
the  sailor  was  not  alone  in  believing  that  the  axis  of  the  earth  is  something 
more  than  imaginary. 

Disappointment  also  awaits  those  who  have  imagined  that  the  open 
polar  sea  is  more  like  the  tropics  than  the  arctic  regions.  It  is  warmer 
there  than  farther  south,  as  had  been  established  by  the  observations  of 
several  explorers  previous  to  the  Viviati's  voyage,  but  it  is  by  no  means 
like  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  or  the  Sea  of  Arabia,  as  some  writers  would  have 
us  believe.  The  birds  that  fly  to  the  north  make  their  summer  homes 
and  their  nests  on  the  islands  of  the  polar  sea,  but  at  the  approach  of 

17 


fll 


m 


-si 


258 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


winter  tliey  retreat  to  the  southward,  like  the  feathered  inhabitants  of 

Greenland  and  Labrador. 

Birds  are  very  abundant  on  all  the  islands  of  the  polar  sea,  as  naviira- 

tors  have  long  believed  through  observing  the  vast  numbers  that  fly  north- 
ward. There  is  no  one  to  distur!) 
them,  and  tliey  ean  breed  in  perfect 
security,  so  far  as  the  presence  of  man 
is  concerned.  The  arctic  foxes  may 
trouble    their  nests  occasionallv,  but 


AN    UXWKLCOMK    VISITOR. 


the  number  they  can  devour,  in  the  egg  or  out  of  it,  can  make  no  per- 
ceptible impression  on  the  size  of  the  flocks.  The  fox  goes  long  distances 
in  search  of  food,  and  generally  knows  where  it  is  to  be  obtained.     It  is 


(JEORGK'S  CARUIKR  riOEONS. 


259 


proliablo  that  he  exists  tlirongli  sill  the  ishuuls  of  the  far  North,  and  iiiij^ht 
tell  the  story  of  the  pole  if  ho  could  speak  or  write. 

One  day  George  made  a  suggestion,  whicli  was  adopted  hy  'oinniander 
Brousoti,  and  also  by  Captain  (iirard  as  soon  as  he  heard  of  It 

"Here  are  these  birds  all  about  us,"  said  George,  "a  t  they'll  go 
south  at  the  end  of  their  breeding  season.  Suppose  we  catch  as  numy  as 
we  can,  and  mark  their  wings  with  the  date  of  our  reaching  the  })ole,  aiul 
the  name  of  the  shij) ;  we  can  do  this  when  there  is  nothing  else  to  occupy 
our  time;  and,  besides,  it  will  not  di'aw  our  attention  from  the  scientiH(! 
work,  as  the  catching  and  marking  can  be  done  by  the  sailors.  If  we 
should  be  so  unfortunate  as  not  to  escai)c  from  this  polar  sea,  or  be  de- 
layed here  for  a  winter  or  two,  perhaps  one  of  these  birds  will  be  the 
means  of  telling  how  far  we  came  t'   m^  vorth. 


li 


MAUKIXG    A    CAIUUKU-PIOEON. 


"They  mark  the  wings  of  carrier-pigeons  in  the  way  I  propose,"  he 
continued,  "and  it  will  be  an  easy  matter  to  do  so  with  these  birds.  Of 
course  there  is  not  one  chance  in  a  thousand,  or  even  ten  thousand,  that 
one  of  them  Mill  fall  into  the  hands  of  anybody  who  will  find  the  mark, 
and  know  wliat  it  means;  but  that  is  a  risk  we  must  take." 

Stamps  similar  to  those  used  in  post-offices  were  pi-epared  from  mov- 
able types,  giving  the  names  of  the  ships  and  the  dates  of  their  reaching 
the  pole;  after  that  time,  whenever  a  bird  not  needed  for  focnl  was  taken, 
the  mark  was  placed  on  his  Aving  and  he  was  libei-ated.     Indelible  ink 


;;  |) 


u  i  li 


20) 


THE   VOYAUli    OF  Tllli   "VIVIAN." 


|!i 

f                I 

f 

i 

.j 

li 

i 

S 

was  tiscfl  for  the  stampiiij^,  so  fliat  the  mark  couM  not  be  washed  out  I)v 
the  "^ea- water.  Tlie  birds  objected  to  the  business,  and  frequently  the 
sailors  W(!re  scratched  and  bitten  in  a  way  that  would  have  discouraged 
persons  less  hardy  thau  they  were  after  their  winter  in  the  ice.  The  men 
considered  it  cai)ital  sport,  and  while  the  explorin<^  and  8urv(;ying  parties 
were  busy  on  the  islands,  the  sailors  occupied  themselves  with  the  con- 
version of  geese,  ducks,  molloniokes,  auks,  himmc,  and  other  feathered  deni- 
zens of  the  polar  regions,  into  carrier-pigeons. 

On  one  of  the  islands  where  they  were  lookitig  for  birds,  the  major 
and  (leorge  found  a  vein  of  excellent  coal  coming  out  close  to  the  water's 
edge.  The  disijovery  was  reported  to  Commander  I'ronson  and  Captain 
(lirard,  and  an  examination  of  the  specimens  showed  that  the  coal  was 
identical  \vith  what  the  Vivla/i'ti  bunkers  had  been  tilled  when  she  left 
San  Francisco. 

Already  there  had  been  anxiety  at  the  consumption  of  fuel,  atid  this 
discovery  was  of  great  importance.  The  ships  were  taken  into  the  little 
bay  where  the  coal  was  found,  mining  operations  were  begun,  and  in  a 
few  days  every  available  place  on  the  Vivian  and  Gambetta  was  filled 
with  fuel. 

As  the  end  of  Jidy  ai)proached  it  became  necessary  to  consider  the 
future.  Should  they  pass  a  winter  in  the  polar  sea  or  make  their  way 
out  at  once,  if  possible  ? 

The  shi])s  had  remained  nominally  in  company  after  the  coaling  was 
completed,  though  frecpiently  out  of  sight  of  each  other  among  the  islands 
around  the  pole,  or  driven  apart  by  the  winds.  It  was  understood  that 
when  separated  they  would  endeavor  to  meet  again  at  the  spot  where  they 
last  exchanged  signals.  It  was  further  understood  that  if  a  ship  was  Jiot 
at  the  rendezvous  four  days  after  the  last  exchange  of  signals,  she  would 
not  be  there  for  four  days  more ;  but  ntdess  she  was  there  at  the  end  of 
the  second  four  days,  she  was  detained  by  accident  or  stress  of  weather. 
The  plan  worked  very  well,  and  at  each  meeting  notes  of  the  surveys  were 
exchan<::ed,  and  much  valuable  information  was  obtained  relative  to  the 
winds  and  currents,  by  means  of  simultaneous  observations  in  different 
localities. 

On  the  26tli  of  July  they  madx3  a  rendezvous  in  front  of  the  volcanic 
island  which  was  discovered  when  the  ships  first  approached  the  pole. 
It  was  a  collection  of  sharp  conical  peaks,  of  which  the  central  one  was 
an  active  volcano.  Ordinaril}'  there  was  little  more  than  a  thin  cloud  of 
smoke  and  steam  pouring  from  its  summit,  but  when  the  Vivian  ap- 
proached it  on  the  2Gth  of  July  it  was  more  active  than  usual. 


AN   INTi:UKSTIN(J   SIMXTACLK. 


;'01 


A    VOLCANIC    KiaiMlO.N. 


"It  looks  as  tliongli  wo  inij^lit  witness  a  polar  oniptioii,"  said  Frtul,  as 
tlioy  regarded  the  volcano  from  the  deck  of  the  ship. 

'"Yes,"  replied  George,  "a  pyrotechnic  disi)lay  in  honor  of  our  fare- 
well." 

As  they  drew  near  they  foinid  the  violence  increasing.  Colnnins  of 
smoke  and  steam  rose  high  in  air,  and  foi'ined  a  dense  cloud  above  them ; 
ashes  fell  on  the  Vivicvi^n  deck,  and  with  the  aid  of  their  glasses  they 
could  see  stones  ejected  with  great  force,  as  though  thrown  from  a  cannon. 
A  stream  of  lava  poured  down  the  side  of  the  mountain,  and  reached  the 
sea  at  the  end  of  a  nai'row  bay  at  its  base.  There  Avere  loud  reports,  re- 
sembling the  crashiui"  of  whole  batteries  of  aitillcrv  tired  at  once,  and 
altogether  the  scene  was  like  what  may  be  witnessed  at  the  eruption  of  a 
volcano  in  more  accessilde  regions. 

Both  the  youths  desired  to  go  on  shore,  and  asked  the  permission  of 
the  commander  to  do  so.  But  the  request  was  refused,  and  strict  orders 
were  given  that  no  boat  should  leave  the  ship  except  for  communication 
with  the  Gambetta.  There  was  nothing  peculiar  about  this  polar  erup- 
tion, and  it  was  not  deemed  prudent,  under  the  circumstances,  to  risk  an 
accident  which  might  prove  very  serious. 

The  Gambetta  met  the  Vivian  at  the  time  and  ])lu  i;  agreed  ;  Captain 
Girard  came  on  board  the  Vivian  with  two  of  his  othcers,  and  there  was 


Ki 


!l 


i 


i   t 


T 


5      * 

^.  i 


>  I 


2C2 


TIIK  VOYAUE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


n  eoiifuronco  of  mi  hour  or  more  on  tlie  8ul>jo(!t  of  thuir  fiituro  movoinenta. 
It  WHS  uj^rc'iul  tlmt  no  j^ood  wiw  to  be  gjiincd  by  Hpoiidiii:^  u  winter  in  tlio 
Arctic!  Sen  sntlicient  to  coniijonsiite  for  the  iittenilunt  danger,  and  it  wtw 
lulvisiiblo  to  get  out  of  it  before  tlie  advent  of  the  season  of  cold  and 
darkness. 

"  Tliero  are  two  routes  wo  can  follow,"  said  Connnander  i'ronson : 
"  we  can  try  that  i)y  Spitzbergen,  or  the  one  through  Smith's  Sound. 

"If  wo  enter  the  ice-barrier,  by  following  the  meridian  of  Greenwich." 
he  continued,  "we  shall  eon)e  very  nearly  upon  the  track  of  Pairy,  where 
he  found  the  ice  drifting  lujuth  ahnost  as  fast  as  he  progressed  to  the  north." 

'•"  Trh  b'leii^''  renuirked  Captain  (Jirard. 

"And  bv  fulluwing  the  meridian  of  150°  west,"  Commander  IJronson 
responded, "  we  shall  strike  the  ice-belt  in  the  line  of  the  farthest  northing 
of  the  Nares  expedition  of  1875-70.  Then  if  we  are  fortiuiatc  in  liuding 
a  passage  through  the  barrier  wo  shall  enter  Ilobeson  Channel,  and  thence 
go  through  Kennedy  Channel  to  Smith's  Sound.  Once  there  we  liave  a 
well-known  route  before  us  through  Baliiu's  Jiay,  Davis's  Strait,  and  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  to  an  anchorage  in  New  Ycu'k  harbor." 

^^Cest  vi(((//uji<jue,^^  iiuawiMvd  the  French  captain.  "  Je  j)roj)ose  les 
deux  roitti'tiy 

Connnander  I>ronson  thought  well  of  the  ])roposItiofi,  and  it  was  ar- 
ranged that  the  Gduibetta  should  endeavor  to  find  her  way  out  of  the  polar 
sea  by  the  route  of  Spitzbergen,  while  the  Vivian  would  seek  the  passage 
through  Smith's  Sound.  Each  would  carry  despatches  and  lettei-s  for  the 
other,  and,  in  order  to  give  time  for  their  preparation,  the  ships  were  to 
meet  four  days  later,  at  or  near  latitude  87°  north,  longitude  30°  west. 
At  that  point  they  would  separate,  and  each  was  to  make  the  best  of  its 
way  homeward. 

For  the  next  four  days  writing  materials  were  iti  great  demand  on 
board  tlie  Vivian,  and  we  may  be  sure  the  same  was  the  case  on  the  Gaia- 
hetta.  The  letters  and  official  despatches  were  carefully  enclosed  in  a  rub- 
ber bag,  whose  outside  bore  in  conspicuous  letters  the  address  of  the  Xavy 
Department,  Washington.  It  was  to  be  delivered  to  the  American  consul 
at  the  first  port  of  Europe  reached  by  the  Ganihetta,  and  forwarded  thence 
to  its  destination. 

The  ships  met  as  agreed,  the  letter-bags  were  exchanged,  and  then  each 
steered  away  on  its  own  course.  Flags  were  dipped  and  guns  fired,  and 
the  officers  and  men  of  both  vessels  cheei-ed  themselves  into  a  condition 
of  huskiness  before  the  freshening  breeze  carried  them  out  of  each  other's 
hearing.     Would  they  ever  meet  again  il 


IN  8I0HT  OF  (IKANT  LAND. 


2G3 


JijHt  beyond  tlio  SOth  i)aiiillcl  a  liii'«;o  island  coinpollrd  tho  Vivian  t<» 
nuiko  a  dHoitr  to  tlic  eastward,  and  when  hIio  tnnied  ai;ain  ti>  the  south 
she  found  tlie  ieo  inereasin^  in  ([uantity.  Careful  ol)Kei'vati(»n  dMMired  that 
it  wart  driftin<^  to  tho  south,  and  tho  "^ullant  craft  holdly  entered  tliy.'  pack, 
and  trurtted  hersolf  to  ho  carried  where  it  chose  to  take  her. 

Steam  was  raised  on  tho  enj^ines  as  soon  as  the  VUian  entered  the  liMi 
and  every  advantaj^o  was  taken  of  lanes  of  water,  or  breaks  in  the  pack,  to 
work  tho  Hhi|)  to  tho  south.  The  paijk  was  not  a  close  one,  and  tho  skill  of 
Captain  Jones  as  an  ice-j)il()t,  combined  with  tho  elliciency  and  persever- 
ance of  his  otHcers  and  <M'ew,  <^avo  a  <;o()d  result.  J»y  the  noon  observation 
on  tho  5th  of  Au<rust  thoy  w«'re  in  latitude  S4^  ^5'  north,  lonjjitude  00" 
10'  west.  Seventy-tive  miles  farther  they  would  be  at  tho  highest  point 
reached  by  the  Nares  expedition. 

The  ice  now  closed  in,  so  that  the  on«j;ine8  wore  of  little  iiso,  and  tho 
iires  wore  put  out.  The  usual  [)recautions  fur  escape  in  case  of  tho  loss  of 
the  ship  were  taken,  and  tho  deck  was  piled  with  provisions,  clothin<^,  and 
nuiterials  for  a  journey  over  tho  ice,  in  the  same  way  as  on  the  [)rovious 
winter.  For  the  present  there  was  no  great  danger,  as  the  ice  was  not  as 
heavy  as  that  which  surrounded  them  to  the  north  of  Herald  Ishmd.  JJut 
it  was  pi'oper  to  bo  prepared  for  anything  that  might  happen,  and  every- 
body was  ordered  to  have  his  knapsack  ready  at  his  side  whenever  he  lay 
down  to  sleep. 

To  describe  the  oxperioTice  of  our  fiionds  in  tho  ice-pack  would  bo  toll- 
ing over  again  the  story  of  their  di'ift  to  tho  northward,  before  their  release 
ill  front  of  President  Land.  Their  progress  was  slow,  often  not  more  than 
three  or  four  n)iles  a  day,  but  sometimes  it  reached  fifteen  or  twenty  miles. 
On  the  20th  of  August  tho  coast  of  Grant  Land  was  in  full  view,  and  on 
tho  23d  a  sledge  expedition  was  sent  out  in  charge  of  ]\Iajor  Clap]),  with 
instructions  to  visit  the  land  and  seek  tho  traces  of  ])revious  navigatoi*s. 

According  to  the  calculations  they  were  close  to  Capo  Sherman,  and  the 
little  harbor  where  the  AUrt  passed  the  winter. 

The  major  was  accompanied  by  Fred  and  two  sailors,  with  a  team  of 
fifteen  dogs  and  one  of  the  drivers;  these  dogs  were  all  that  remained 
of  the  origiiuil  foi'ty.  Some  had  died  of  dis^ease,  others  had  strayed  from 
the  ship  at  different  times,  and  four  had  jumped  overboard  while  the  Viv- 
ian was  cruising  in  the  polar  sea. 

The  major  was  insti'ucted  to  ol>f  or-ve  carefully  tiio  bearings  of  the  sliip, 
and  during  his  absence  a  large  fla/^'  w  is  kept  coni=t!U) ;  jy  flying.  He  reached 
the  land  after  about  forty  hours'  travelling,  and  found  that  their  calcula- 
tions were  con-ect.     A  cairn  sujjposeJ  to  have  been  erected  by  the  Aleris 


26-1: 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


¥-n 


f 


crew  was  discovered ;  but  though  it  was  carefully  taken  down,  no  record 
could  be  found.  The  major  killed  a  musk-ox  in  good  condition,  and  the 
whole  party  was  regaled  Jipon  the  flesh  of  the  animal.  Choice  steaks  were 
reserved,  and  brought  back  in  sufficient  quantity  to  supply  the  cabin  table 


for  a  single  dinner. 


A    WHALE-SHIP   IN   WINTER   QUARTKUS. 

The  expedition  was  absent  three  days  and  a  half,  and  in  the  mean  time 
the  Vivian  drifted  about  fifteen  miles  to  the  south.  The  season  was  so 
late  that  the  chance  of  getting  through  Smith's  Sound  was  very  doubtful ; 
already  the  weatiier  was  cold,  and  the  young  ice,  wherever  there  were  an}- 
open  spaces,  formed  to  a  tiiickness  of  two  inches  in  a  few  hours  when  the 
wind  was  not  blowing. 

On  the  1st  of  September  they  were  fairly  within  Robeson  Chaniiel. 
For  a  week  the  ice  seemed  to  be  very  nearly  stationary,  and  Connnander 
Bronson  determined  to  look  for  a  good  place  for  passing  the  winter,  as  't 
was  pretty  certain  that  Kennedy  Channel  would  close  before  they  could 
reach  it.  • 

Under  the  influence  of  a  strong  wind  from  the  north,  the  pack  broke 
sufficiently  to  allow  the  ship  to  be  warped  through  several  leads  close  up 
to  the  eastern  shore.  A  favorable  opportunity  offered  to  get  the  Vivian 
into  Polaris  Bay,  and  it  was  promptly  embraced ;  immediately  afterwards 


WINTERING   IN  POLARIS  BAY. 


26^ 


the  ice  shut  in  solidly  to  the  south,  and  it  was  decided  to  pass  the  wiiitei- 
where  they  were. 

The  Vivian  was  laid  up  about  a  mile  from  where  the  Polaris  passed 
the  winter  of  1S71-72,  and  there  she  remained  until  the  followin«;  Julv. 
She  was  housed  over  in  the  same  way  as  on  the  previous  winter,  and  a 
hi"rh  bank  of  snow  was  built  around  her.  This  bank  of  snow  is  a  ijreat 
protection  against  the  cold,  and  makes  a  great  economy  of  fuel  during  the 
long  hibernation.  Tlie  Hudson's  Bay  and  other  northern  whalers  invari- 
ably surround  their  ships  with  snow  while  lying  up  diu'ing  the  winter, 
and  sometimes  they  give  the  embankment  the  appearance  of  a  miniature 
fort. 

Fred  and  George  were  greatly  interested  when  they  learned  i  were 
at  the  scene  of  Captain  Hall's  last  winter  in  the  far  North.  As  soon  as 
they  cculd  obtain  permission  tliey  visited  his  grave,  which  they  had  no  dif- 
liculty  in  finding  through  the  description  by  Captain  Tyson.     They  found 


GRAVE    OF   CAPTAIN   HALL. 


that  the  board  originally  placed  tliei-e  had  been  blown  down  by  the  wind, 
and  the  ins(!ription  almost  wholly  obliterated.  Tlie  brass  tablet,  whicli 
was  placed  at  the  foot  of  the  grave  by  the  Nares  Expedition,  wa?  undis- 
turbed.    The  tablet  was  prepared  in  England,  and  the  inscription  closes 


2GG 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


with  tlie  words,  "  Erected  by  the  British  Pohir  Expedition  of  1875,  who 
following  in  his  footsteps,  have  profited  by  his  experience." 

Another  board  was  prepared,  with  a  copy  of  the  inscription  taken  from 
the  old  one,  as  follows: 

TO  THE  MEMOR7  OF   C.  F.  HALL, 

LATE  COMMANDER  OP  THE  NOUTH  POLAR  EXPEDITION, 

DIED  NOV.  8,  1871. 

A.GKD   GO  YKA.RS. 

When  this  board  was  ready  all  the  officers  and  sailoi-s  of  the  Vivian 
who  conld  be  spured  from  duty  went  in  procession  to  the  grave  of  the 
zealous  explorer,  and  solemnly  placed  the  memorial  at  the  head  of  his  last 
resting-place.  All  were  silent  while  Commander  Bronson  pronounced  a 
brief  eulogy  in  honor  of  the  man  whose  earnestness,  perseverance,  and 
endurance  are  familiar  to  all  those  who  have  studied  the  history  of  arctic 
explorations.  Their  memories  went  back  to  that  sad  occasion  in  the  long 
dai'kness  of  the  arctic  wiuter  when  the  crew  of  the  Polaris  buried  the  re- 
mains of  their  late  commander.  Here  is  the  account  in  Captain  Tyson's 
journal : 

'■'■Nov.  11. — At  half-past  eleven  this  morning  we  placed  all  tiiat  was  mortal  of  our  lato  com- 
mander in  the  frozen  ground.  Even  at  tliat  hour  of  tlie  day  it  was  almost  darlc,  so  tliat  I  had  to 
iiold  a  lantern  for  Mr.  Bryan  to  read  the  prayers.  I  believe  all  the  ship's  company  was  present, 
unless,  perhaps,  the  steward  and  cook.  It  was  a  gloomy  day,  and  well  befitting  the  event.  The 
place,  also,  is  rugged  and  desolate  in  the  extreme.  Away  off,  as  far  as  the  dim  light  enables  us  to 
see,  we  are  bound  in  by  huge  masses  of  slate  rock,  which  stand  like  a  barricade,  guarding  the  bar- 
ren land  of  the  interior;  between  these  rugged  hills  lies  the  snow-covered  plain;  behind  us  the 
frozen  waters  of  Polaris  Bay,  the  shore  strewn  with  great  ice-blocks.  The  little  hut  which  they 
call  an  observatory  bears  aloft,  upon  a  tall  flag-staff,  the  only  cheering  object  in  sight;  and  that  is 
sad  enough  to-day,  for  the  stars  and  stripes  droop  at  half-mast. 

"  As  we  went  to  the  grave  this  morning,  the  coffin  hauled  on  a  sledge,  over  which  was  spread, 
instead  of  a  pall,  the  American  flag,  we  walked  in  procession.  I  walked  on  with  my  lantern  a  little 
in  advance;  then  came  the  captain  and  officers,  the  engineer.  Dr.  Bessel,  and  Myer? ;  and  then  the 
crew,  hauling  the  body  by  a  rope  attached  to  the  sledge,  one  of  the  men  on  the  right  holding  an- 
other lantern.  Nearly  all  are  dressed  in  skins,  and,  were  there  other  eyes  to  see  ns,  we  should 
look  like  anything  but  a  funeral  eortlirfc.  The  Eskimos  followed  the  crew.  There  is  a  weird  sort  of 
light  in  the  air,  partly  boreal  or  electric,  through  which  the  stars  shone  brightly  at  11  a.m.,  while 
on  our  way  to  the  grave." 

Lest  wo  might  weary  our  readers  wc  will  pass  briefly  over  ihe Vivians 
second  winter  in  the  ice.  The  ingenuity  of  everybody  was  taxed  to  the 
utmost  to  make  the  long  night  ])ass  witluut  the  inroads  of  physical  and 
mental  disease  among  the  officers  and  crew,  tmd  it  is  our  pleasure  to  record 
that  the  effort  was  successful.     Hunting  parties  were  organized  whenever 


LAST  HONORS  TO  A  BRAVE  MAN. 


207 


X 
p; 

c: 
r: 

r 


2CS 


THE   VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


IT) 


'ii 


i 

I*' 

I 


circumstances  favored;  there  were  skating,  leap-frog,  base-ball,  and  other 
games  in  the  open  air;  theatrical  and  other  entertainments  were  given,  as 
in  the  previous  winter;  classes  were  organized  for  instruction  in  various 
brandies  of  education  ;  lectures  were  delivered ;  and  altogether,  as  the 
chronicles  record,  "  the  season  passed  off  pleasantl}'."  There  was  not  a 
single  case  of  serious  illness  in  the  entire  crew,  and  nobody  "  sulked  "  or 
became  despondent.  What  an  improvement  over  the  experiences  of  arctic 
wintering  a  hundred  years  ago ! 

The  spring  came  and  then  the  summer,  or  rather  the  spring  ran  so 
quickly  into  sinnmer  that  it  required  a  (piick  observer  to  note  the  period 
of  transition.  AVhen  the  sun  returned  above  the  horizon,  several  expedi- 
tions were  sent  out  to  explore  the  interior  of  the  country;  but  they  added 
nothing  of  consequence  to  the  data  of  previous  navigators.  A  sharp  look- 
out was  kept  for  the  Urst  sign  of  open  water,  and  after  the  middle  of  June 
no  one  was  allowed  to  go  far  from  the  ship. 

By  the  1st  of  July  there  was  open  water  both  north  and  south  of 
Polaiis  Bay,  but  the  ship  still  renuiined  in  her  winter  position.  The  ice- 
drift  had  begun  some  time  before,  and  the  movement  through  Robeson 
Channel  into  Hall's  Basin,  and  thence  into  Kennedy  Channel,  was  continu- 
ous. On  the  3d  of  July  the  ice  in  the  bay  broke  in  many  places,  and 
on  the  morning  of  the  4th  the  Vhnan  was  free.  The  anniversary  of 
American  independence  was  henceforth  to  be  doubly  remembered  by 
every  individual  of  the  ship's  company ! 

The  wind  carried  the  ice  out  of  the  bay,  and  the  Vlvicm  followed  it. 
Until  the  head  of  Kennedy  Channel  wat  reached,  the  water  was  compara- 
tively clear;  steam  was  ordered  on  the  ei  gines,  and  with  its  aid  they  made 
good  progress  and  p^osed  Cape  Morton,  at  ,iie  end  of  PetermauTi  Peninsula. 
Beyond  this  cape  the  channel  was  thickly  blvocked  with  ice,  and  the  engines 
were  powerless  to  force  the  vessel  through  it. 

Captain  Jones  watched  his  o[)portunity  and  made  fast  to  a  floe,  in  a 
position  similar  to  that  taken  by  the  Vloicm  when  beset  in  the  ice  off 
Herald  Island.  Tims  protected  from  danger  of  a  "nip,"  the  vessel  drifted 
south  with  ihe  ice  through  Kennedy  Chaimel  into  Smith's  Sound,  the  speed 
varying  from  one  to  one  and  three-quarter  miles  an  hour.  On  the  fourth 
day  after  leaving  the  winter  position  the  Vioian  was  fairly  in  Smith's 
Sound,  and  the  opening  of  the  ice  allowed  her  to  make  use  of  her  engines 
once  more. 

SJje  i»as.sed  near  Tlensselaer  Harbor,  vdiere  Dr.  Kane  wintered  with  the 
Advitnce  dui-'ng  1853-55,  Here  she  was  caught  again  in  the  ice,  and  drift- 
ed tlu'ongh  Smith's  Channel  past  Port  Fouike,  a  well-known  name  in  arctic 


A  GATEWAY  TO  THE  POL' 


269 


I ''!'' 


MAP   OK   SMIiH   SOUND,  AND    KKNNKDY'   AND   llOUESON    CHA.N.NKLS. 


270 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE    "VIVIAN." 


diroTiology.  It  is  the  place  where  Dr.  llajes  wuitered  in  lSGO-61,  in  the 
schooner  United  States.  From  that  point  he  made  a  sledge  journey  over 
the  ice,  and  renched  latitude  81°  37'  north.  Dr.  Hayes  was  a  firm  believer 
in  the  open  ]K)lar  sea,  and  down  to  the  time  of  his  death  he  entertained 
the  hope  of  one  day  reaching  the  pole  by  way  of  Smith's  Sound. 


:if 


■tail       ~ 

m    :  t 

'I-  I  I 


V 

i    I, 


i 


t.; 


■  '$  I 


I' 


Littleton  Island  is  at  the  narrowest  part  of  Smith's  Sound,  in  latitntlo 
78°  24'  north.  Of  late  years  it  has  been  a  place  of  deposit  of  coal  and 
stores  for  exploring  expeditions,  and  it  contains  a  post-office  wliere  ships 
may  obtain  information  of  each  other.  Commander  Bronson  desired  t«> 
visit  the  island,  and  accordinglv  thcVivian  steamed  into  a  little  nook  not 
far  from  the  scene  of  the  loss  of  the  Polaris,  and  neai-ly  opposite  Lifeboat 
Cove,  where  Dr.  Kane  found  shelter.  As  the  Viinan  dropi)ed  her  anchor, 
two  skin-clad  forms  came  out  from  among  the  rocks  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
away  and  advanced  to  the  watei'^s  edge.  Soon  as  a  boat  cuuld  be  lowered 
the  commander  and  Major  Clapp  went  on  shore,  and  were  eagerly  wel- 
comed by  "the  whole  population." 

The  inhabitants  included  the  two  individuals  already  mentioned,  the 


AN  ARCTIC   J'OST-OFFICE. 


271 


first  strangers  our  friends  had  seen  since  leaving  the  coast  of  Siberia. 
They  prined  to  bo  Innnits  or  Eskimos,  and  luckily  one  of  them  had 
worked  on  an  American  whale-ship,  and  could  speak  enough  English  to 
make  himself  understood.  He  and  his  comi)anion  Jiad  come  over  from 
the  main-land  two  or  three  days  before,  and  warn  preparing  to  hme  when 
they  saw  the  Vioian. 

They  guided  our  friends  to  a  heap  of  coal,  which  hud  hc(u  left  tlmm 
tlie  previous  year  by  an  American  supply-ship,  in  aco^/rdaW'Ce  with  the  ar- 
rangements mentioned  in  the  early  part  of  this  bouk.  It  was  pro^/'cted 
from  the  weather  by  a  roof  of  flat  stones,  and  on  one  »\de  of  the  roof 
were  painted  the  directions  for  finding  the  "  J.ittleton  Island  J''ost-office..^ 
Ap|iendcd  to  the  directions  were  the  words,  "don't  allow  natives  to  acc-o«i»- 
panv  YOU." 

Signal  was  made  for  another  boat  to  come  ashore,  and  in  a  few  min- 
utes it  was  dancing  over  the  water  and  among  the  cakes  of  ice,  bringing 
l.)r,  Tonner  with  Fred  and  George.  The  situation  was  quickly  explained, 
and  while  the  youths  went  with  the  natives  to  see  the  spot  where  the 
Polaris  went  ashore,  the  eU'-'v  of  the  party  sought  the  post-office. 

It  was  a  hole  in  the  soliu'  r  tck,  about  a  foot  square  and  two  feet  deep. 
To  its  mouth  was  fitted  an  inui  <Joor,  fastened  in  its  place  with  cement, 
and  so  solid  was  the  construction  that  no  tools  possessed  by  the  natives 
could  ;nake  an  ifnpressi(;n  on  it.  The  surface  of  the  door  was  studded 
\vith  the  heads  of  bolts;  turning  two  of  these  one  quarter  round,  accord- 
ing to  the  printed  directions  issued  by  the  Navy  Department  to  arctic  ex- 
ploring ships,  and  then  sliding  two  others  frt/in  the  sides  towards  the 
centre,  Cotnnumder  Ih'onson  unlocked  the  door  of  the  safe  where  tiie 
letters  were  concealed. 

The  contents  of  the  safe  were  taken  on  board  ship  for  examination,  and 
the  door  was  relocked.  The  bolts  were  rusty,  and  the  opei-ation  had  re- 
quired fully  half  an  hour,  which  was  well  enii)l(tyed  by  the  youths.  Ac- 
companying the  luitivcs,  they  liad  visited  the  spot  where  Ca|)tain  IJudding- 
ton,  and  those  of  the  crew  of  the  Palarls  who  were  not  left  on  the  ice- 
floe with  Captain  Tyson,  had  passed  the  winter.  The  English-speaking 
native,  who  answered  to  the  name  of  "  Jacsk,"  said  he  was  at  the  island 
wheji  Captain  Ihiddington  and  his  party  sailed  away  in  the  two  boats  they 
built  from  the  timber  of  the  Polaris. 

lie  said  the  white  men  passed  the  winter  on  the  island,  living  in  a 
house  they  ere(;f('d  on  shore,  and  fitting  it  up  with  bunks  brought  from 
the  ship.  In  the  spring  the  natives  came  there,  and  pitched  their  tents 
close  by,  so  that  "Polaris  Camp"  had   for  a  tiuie  a  lively  ap[)earance. 


272 


THE  VOYxVGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


Before  Csiptuin  IJuadington  left  lie  gave  the  wreck  of  tlie  steamer  and 
everything  on  shore  to  the  chief  of  the  Eskimos,  but  shortly  after  the  trans- 
fer the  steamer  broke  loose  from  her  moorings  in  a  gale  and  drifted  out 
to  deep  water,  where  she  sank.  The  natives  were  obliged  to  content  them- 
selves Nvith  what  was  left  on  shore,  but  they  mourned  earnestly  the  loss  of 
the  ship  and  the  abundant  store  of  wood  of  which  she  was  constructed. 


t 

1 


I 


POLARIS    CAMP. 


iiJ 


INTEKNATIONAL  ODSEUVING   STATIONS. 


273 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

TIIK  SIGNAL   SERVICE  STATION'.— FROM   LITTLETON'  ISLAND  TO  rPERN'AVIK. 

Tj^YIDENTLY  tlic  post-oftictc  on  Littleton  Island  was  nof  extensively 
-^-^  pntronizetl,  as  it  contained  only  three  letters  and  a  newspaper,  tlie 
latter  more  than  a  year  old.  The  lettei's  were  for  the  nse  of  any  one  who 
choose  to  read  them  ;  they  recorded  the  visits  of  e\[)l()i'in<!;  slii[)s,  hnt  there 
was  no  news  of  special  interest  to  our  friends.  There  was  a  memorandnm 
concerning-  the  sijiijnal  service  party  nnder  Lieutenant  (irreely,  which  is 
known  to  the  readers  of  the  news[)apers  as  "  The  Greely  Colony." 

Connnander  JJronson  read  this  [)aper  curetidly,  and  then  exi)lained 
as  follows,  partly  in  his  own  words  and  partly  from  the  notes: 

"Lieutenant  Weyprecht,  of  the  Austrian  North-pole  Expedition,  recom- 
mended that  a  ring  of  ohscrving  stations  should  bo  placed  around  the 
pole,  as  near  as  was  consistent  with  safety,  for  the  }iin"i)ose  of  making 
meteorological  observations  for  the  period  of  one  year.  His  plan  included 
the  joint  action  of  several  nations,  and  at  the  thiee  Interiuitional  Polar 
Cotiferences,  held  at  Ilandjurg,  in  1S79,  at  IJei-ne,  in  1S80,  and  at  St. 
Petersburg,  in  ISSl,  the  pi-ogramme  and  details  were  settled.  At  the  last 
meeting  it  was  decided  to  delay  the  beginning  of  the  enterpi-ise  from  1881, 
as  first  proposed,  until  1SS2.  .Preparations  had  been  made  in  the  L'nited 
States,  however,  for  carrying  out  the  original  programme,  and  in  the  smn- 
mer  of  1881  two  ex[)editions  set  out,  one  for  the  northernmost  point  of 
Alaska,  under  Lieutenant  P.  II.  Ray,  the  other,  under  Lieutenant  A.  W. 
(jlreelv,  for  Disco\erv  ILirbor,  Lady  Fraidclin  Bav,  81°  50'  north  latitude, 
and  65°  west  longitude,  500  miles  from  the  pole.  The  other  ten  stations 
selected  were  Fort  Ray,  north  of  Manitoba,  by  the  Riitish ;  Cund)erland 
Island,  north  of  Hudson's  Bay,  by  the  Germans;  Goodhaab,  Greenland,  by 
the  Danes;  Jan  Mayen  Island,  by  Austria;  Spitzbei'gen,  by  the  Swedes; 
Dosskopp,  near  North  Cai)e,  by  Norway;  a  point  near  the  White  Sea,  by 
Finland;  Nova  Zeml)la,  by  the  Russians,  who  had  another  station  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Lena  River  iti  Siberia;  and  Dickson  Haven,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Yenisei  River,  by  ♦:iie  Dutch. 

IS 


M  ' 


fe'i 


I  ). 


"      1 

■rl 


27-1 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


"The  Dutch  expedition  failed  to  reach  its  destination,  liaving  been 
caught  in  tlie  ice  in  the  Kara  Sea.  Observations  were  made  during  the 
winter,  however,  and  the  j)aity  made  tlieir  escape  when  their  vessel  sunk, 
on  the  breaking  uj)  of  the  ice  in  the  following  summer. 

"The  most  northerly  of  these  stations  was  manned  by  officers  and 
men  of  the  United  States  Signal  Service,  under  command  of  Lieutenant 
Greely,  and  they  went  there  in  the  sunitner  of  18S1,  a  year  in  advance 
of  the  rest.  The  expedition  was  carried  to  its  destination  on  the  steamer 
Proteus,  and  it  was  agreed  that  a  ship  should  be  sent  to  its  relief  in  the 
following  year,  or  in  the  sunnner  of  1S83  at  fartliest." 

"Then  they  have  all  been  taken  away  by  this  time,"  one  of  the  youths 
remarked. 

"  Not  yet,"  was  the  answer.  "  Lieutenant  Greely  was  to  start  south  by 
the  1st  of  Septembei',  1883,  if  no  help  reached  him  before  that  time,  and 
it  had  been  arranged  that  the  relief  st»  umer  should  land  stores  at  Littleton 
Island  on  her  way  up.  Thus,  in  case  of  the  loss  of  the  steamer,  he  would 
accomplish  his  retreat  in  boats  or  on  sledges,  and  fuel  sure  of  finding  stores 
at  Littleton  Island.  Uut  this  memorandum  savs  the  relief  steamer,  the 
Proteus,  the  same  that  carried  him  north  in  1881,  did  not  stop  here  on 
her  way  north,  and  she  was  crushed  in  the  ice  before  she  c(jukl  reach  Ladv 
Franklin  Bav.  Her  crew  returned  to  the  south,  and  thus  there  was  no 
comnnmication  with  the  men  who  had  passed  two  winters  in  this  very 
liigh  latitude." 

"  And  what  became  of  them  ?" 

"  Hopes  and  fears  are  about  equally  balanced,"  was  the  commander's 
answer.  "We  may  believe  that  Lieutenant  Gieely  remained  at  Lady 
Franklin  Bay  for  a  third  winter,  and  found  sufficient  food  by  killing 
musk -cattle,  bears,  seals,  and  walruses  before  winter  set  in;  or  we  may 
think  he  started  south,  was  relieved  by  the  Eskin)os  of  Cai)e  York,  and 
reached  the  Danish  settlements  of  Northern  Greenland.  Then  there  is 
ground  to  fear  that  he  and  his  men  endeavored  to  carry  out  the  programme 
laid  down  for  them,  but  perished  of  hunger  on  reaching  Littleton  Island 
and  tinding  that  the  promise  of  a  deposit  of  provisions  had  not  been  car- 
ried out.  Of  course  there  has  been  a  court  of  incpiir}^;  everybody  con- 
cerned is  endeavoring  to  shift  the  responsibility  on  the  shoulders  of  some- 
body else,  and  with  a  fair  prospect  of  success." 

"What  a  pity  we  did  not  know  about  it  when  we  were  on  our  way 
south !"  one  of  the  youths  remarked. 

"It  is  indeed,"  answered  the  commander,  "as  we  might  have  searched 
the  bay  and  perhaps  found  the  members  of  the  observing  party ;  besides, 


.SKAHIH    :()1{  THK  GKKKLV  COLONS. 


275 


wo  could  liave  reiieu't'cl  our  Btock  of  fuel.  TIicmc  is  suid  to  l)o  a  fine  feeiiin 
of  antlirac-ite  coal  at  Discovery  Harbor;  sonio  hay  it  is  the  fiiieht  in  tlio 
wctrld,  ami  could  furiiisili  an  inexliaustililu  stij)i)|y  for  all  the  wants  of 
iiaviij'atioii." 

"  A  vei-y  sitiiill  seam  would  supply  all  that  will  he  wanted  for  navi<;a- 
tion  here,"  said  Captain  doiies,  "and  there  is  no  chance  that  it  (;an  ever  ho 
carried  to  anotlier  market. " 

"  Well,  at  any  rate,"  responded  the  major,  "Lieutenant  Clreely  did  not 
suffer  for  want  of  fuel." 

"  No,  it  was  the  existence  of  this  vein  of  coal  that  caused  the  selection 
of  Lady  Franklin  IJay  as  an  ol)8erving  station.  Y\)n  nuiy  he  sni-o  there 
have  been  plenty  of  denunciations  of  the  selection  since  the  mishap  of 
IS.SJ},  and  dozens  of  scientiiic  men  can  demonstrate  that  it  w'as  unwise. 

"Public  attention  has  doubtless  been  roused  by  this  time,  and  you  may 
be  sure  there  will  be  plenty  of  relief  sent  in  the  suimner  of  hSS-t,  perhaps 
when  it  is  too  late.  Some  of  the  ships  used  for  whale  or  seal  tishing  will 
be  bought  or  chai'tered,  and  sent  here  as  soon  as  the  season  will  permit."* 

A  record  of  the  visit  of  thiiViu/aii  was  prepared,  and  then  the  whole 
party  returned  to  the  island,  carrying  the  letters  and  })aper  that  had  been 
taken  from  the  strong-box  in  the  rock.  The  most  interesting  reading  to 
our  friends,  apart  from  the  account  of  the  signal  service,  was  in  a  letter 
from  8an  Fiaucisco,  printed  in  the  newspaper  which  was  found  in  the 
box.  It  gave  a  long  account  of  the  outfitting  and  dei)artnre  of  the  Vivian, 
and  her  vovaije  across  the  Pacific  Ocean.  It  said  the  latest  news  from  her 
had  just  arrived  by  a  whaling  shij),  which  received  a  bag  of  letters  from 
the  Vivian  in  the  vicinity  of  Herald  Island.  "  Actcording  to  what  I  can 
learn  of  the  contents  of  the  letters,"  said  the  wi'iter  of  the  communication, 
"the  Vivian  was  about  to  enter  the  icy  harrier  in  the  hope  of  finding  her 
wa\'  to  the  pole.  Perhaps  she  will  come  out  through  Smith's  Soimd,  or 
1)}'  way  of  Spitzbergen,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  the  government  will  keep  a 
sharp  watch  for  her,  as  it  did  for  the  Jeannette  in  18SL" 

"Perhaps  we  shall  meet  a  relief  expedition  before  wo  get  far  from 
here,"  said  the  commander,  as  he  finished  the  printed  letter.  "  Who  knows 
but  they  will  send  to  this  very  island  to  find  us?" 

"And  we're  ready  to  be  found,"  said  the  nuijor,  "although  we  ai"  not 
sadly  in  need  of  relief." 


*  Tlie  autlior  earnestly  hopes  to  be  able  to  add  a  note,  at  the  end  of  this  vohime,  announcing 
tlie  safety  of  tlie  Greely  jtarty.  Thonsli  not  without  misgivings,  lie  believes  they  I'oniained  at  Lady 
Franklin  Bay  during  the  winter  of  1883-84,  subsisting  on  the  products  of  the  country,  as  already 
indicated,  and  came  south  in  the  spring  to  meet  a  relief  party  at  Littleton  Island  or  UpernaviU. 


^^  vis* 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Fhotogr^hic 

Sciences 

Corpomlion 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


,   ■ 


1 


'37G 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


"If  yon  see  an  oj)enin«^  in  tlie  ice,  and  a  <;liaiue  of  ^ettini^  away  from 
here,"  said  tlie  cominaiider  to  the  captain,  as  they  started  for  tlic  shore 
ajrain,  "  lire  a  «]fnn  and  lioist  the  recall  8i<^na].  We'll  come  back  in  a  hurry, 
and  you  can  trip  the  anchor  as  soon  as  you  sec  us  on  our  way. 


KSKIMO   IN    WINTER  DRESS. 


"We  niijjht  take  some  of  this  coal,"  he  continued,  as  they  reached 
the  land,  "hut  I  don't  think  we'll  need  it  as  badly  as  some  that  may  come 
after  us.  We've  enonirh  to  jjet  to  Upernavik,  unless  we  have  a  hard  time 
in  the  ice  on  our  wav  down." 

They  returned  the  letters  and  })aper  to  the  box,  and  with  them  the  rec- 
ord of  the  Vivimi's  visit.  Then  they  clos-ed  the  box  again,  according  to 
the  directions,  and  restored  the  Littleton  Island  Post-office  to  its  original 
condition.    Of  course  they  had  been  joined  by  their  Eskimo  friends  as 


A   NIGHT  OF  TERIL. 


277 


278 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN. 


W:  ■ : 


poon  as  they  landed,  but  these  fellows  had  been  judiciously  taken  to  one 
bide,  and  kept  there  by  Fred  and  the  major  wliile  the  box  was  beinj^  closed. 

Then  they  looked  around  for  traces  of  the  visit  of  any  of  the  Greely 
party,  but  found  none.  Evidently  nobody  had  lived  on  the  island  since 
the  crew  of  the  Polaris  wintered  there,  with  the  excejHion  of  the  wander- 
ing Eskimos  who  had  occasionally  visited  it  for  a  very  brief  stay. 

A  gun  from  the  steamer  attracted  their  attention,  and  they  hastened  to 
obey  the  signal.  When  they  reached  her  side  she  was  ready  to  start,  and 
before  they  had  mounted  to  the  deck  the  water  was  churned  into  foam  by 
the  screw. 

"There's  an  opening  in  the  ice  around  the  point,"  said  the  captain, 
"  and  I  want  to  make  the  most  of  it." 

"Make  it  as  fast  as  you  like,"  answered  the  commander;  "you  can't 
go  south  too  rapidly  for  us. 

"  It  was  not  far  from  this  ])oint,"  said  he, "  that  the  Polaris  separated 
from  the  floe  party,  as  described  by  Captain  Tyson  in  his  narrative.  The 
ship  was  drifting  south  with  the  ice,  and  was  about  opposite  Littleton 
Island  on  the  iifteenth  day  of  October.  A  gale  arose,  the  ship  was  nipped 
by  the  ice,  and  there  was  great  fear  that  she  would  be  crushed  and  sunk. 
Boats  and  provisions  had  been  placed  on  the  ice  in  anticipation  of  such 
ail  event,  and  while  Captain  Tyson  and  eighteen  others  were  engaged  in 
arranging  things,  so  as  to  save  as  much  as  ix)ssible,  the  ship,  to  use  his 
words,  'broke  away  in  the  darkness  and  was  lost  to  sight  in  a  moment!' 

"It  was  in  the  nii^ht,  and  a  fearful  snow-storm  was  rai'ins;.  Some  of 
the  men  were  left  on  small  cakes  of  ice,  but  were  gradually  brought  to- 
gether by  their  shipmates,  who  made  good  use  of  the  boats  for  this  work. 
When  all  were  assembled  the  boats  were  hauled  on  the  ice,  and  everybody 
sought  what  shelter  he  could  get  till  morning. 

"  It  was  in  this  way  that  the  renjarkable  voyage  of  T^'son  and  his  party 
on  the  ice-floe  had  its  beginning.  Fortunately  there  were  several  natives 
with  Captain  Tyson  who  ujiderstood  how  to  catch  seals,  and  it  was  on  seal 
and  bear  meat  that  the  shipwrecked  mariners  mainly  lived  until  they  were 
rescued.  Let  us  hope  that  we  may  not  have  to  rei)eat  their  experience  by 
a  journey  on  an  ice-floe." 

As  the  Vivian  steamed  away  from  her  anchorage,  she  was  followed  a 
short  distance  by  one  of  the  natives  whom  they  had  left  on  shore.  lie  was 
an  object  of  great  curiosity  to  our  young  friends,  as  they  had  not  yet  seen 
an  Eskimo  in  a  skin  canoe. 

The  skin  canoe,  or  hyach^  of  the  Eskimo  is  very  much  like  the  haidar 
of  the  inhabitant  of  North-eastern  Siberia,  both  in  shape  and  the  material 


AN  ESKIMO   KYACK. 


2V0 


of  wliifh  it  18  constrncted.     It  is  made  of  seal-skin  Rtretclied  over  a  fnune, 

and  is  sharp  at  both  ends;   it  curves  ulniost  in  the  funu  of  a  bow  from 

stem  to  stern,  and  the  occupant  sits 

in  a  hole  near  the  centre.    The  skin  - »         ^ 

that  forms  the  deck  is  drawn  tij^ht- 

Iv  around  him,  so  that  he  suffers  no 

injury  if  the  water  breaks  over  the 

boat. 

The  natives  go  fearlessly  on  the 
water  in  these  apparently  frail  boats, 
and  will  often  venture  where  the 
white  man  hesitates  with  his  strong- 
er constriK'tion  of  wood  and  iron. 
To  propel  this  craft  they  have  oars, 
or  paddles,  with  blades  at  both  ends; 
the  blades  are  dipped  alternately  in 
the  water,  and  the  little  /'yac/t*  goes 
along  at  a  wonderful  rate. 

"They  perform  curious  feats  with  these  /ryncl's,''^  sai<l  the  major,  as  the 
party  were  looking  over  the  side  of  the  ship  and  admiring  the  dexteiity 
with  which  the  native  handled  his  little  craft. 

"They  will  tm-n  somersaults  in  the  water,"  he  continued,  "and  keep  it 
np  a  dozen  times  in  succession." 

Of  <;c»urse  this  assertion  caused  some  suri»rise,  and  the  major  went  on 
to  explain : 


AN    KSKIMU    AKl.UAT. 


80Mlil::iALI.l'    IN    A    KVAt'K. 


2S0 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


\i ' : 


■.I' 


iil 


"  It  is  proper  to  say  tliat  only  a  few  can  do  it,  and  tliey  never  make  the 
attempt  nnlcss  a  friend  is  present  with  his  hijack  to  render  any  needed 
assistance. 

"  I  once  saw  a  Greenland  Eskimo  perform  it.  lie  tnrned  over  and 
over  till  we  thought  he  did  not  intend  to  stop,  and  felt  himself  well  paid 
for  the  feat  with  the  present  of  a  pocket-knife.  One  n)oment  he  was  com- 
pletely nnder  water  and  the  next  ahove  it,  and  he  was  so  well  secm'ed  in 
his  place  that  only  his  hands  and  face  were  v.et.  The  danger  of  the  ])er- 
f(»rniance  lies  iii  the  risk  of  his  paddle  breaking  while  he  is  under  water, 
and  also  the  chance  that  he  mav  make  a  false  stroke. 

'"Another  trick  they  j)erform  is  for  a  native  to  run  his  hyack  over  an- 
other without  injur}'  to  either.  This  he  does  by  dashing  forward  at  the 
greatest  speed  and  jjassing  the  bow  of  his  own  boat  over  the  centre  of  hi? 
friend's,  just  in  front  of  where  its  owner  sits.  There  is  less  liability  to  in- 
jury to  either  craft  than  to  the  occiipant  of  the  one  that  is  overrun  ;  a 
little  miscalculation  may  send  the  point  of  liie  lyack  through  the  man,  who 
is  so  bound  in  his  place  that  he  cannot  get  out  of  the  way." 

The  steamer  turned  the  point  of  Littleton  Island  and  put  her  prow  in 
the  direction  of  Baffin's  I'av.  The  ice  covered  the  water  to  the  eastward, 
close  up  i^  the  Greenland  shore,  but  along  the  western  side  of  the  strait 
there  was  oikmi  water,  and  the  Vivian  went  through  the  loose  pack  with- 
out much  difficulty.  It  was  ten  or  twelve  hours  before  she  was  fairly  out 
of  the  ice,  and  where  she  could  get  along  without  nsinfj  her  enfjines. 

The  tires  were  extinguished  and  the  ship  proceeded  nnder  sail,  passing 
Ellesmere  Land  and  North  Devon  without  hinderance.  Off  the  entrance 
of  Lancaster  Sound  the  ice  became  thick  again  and  the  fires  were  re- 
kindled. 

From  Lancaster  Sound  the  Vivian  headed  sonth-easterl}'  across  Baffin's 
Bay,  and  live  days  and  four  hours  after  she  left  Littleton  Island  she  was 
within  twenty  miles  of  the  coast  of  Greeidand,  in  latitude  73°  35'  north, 
lontfitude  5G°  25'  west. 

"We  are  now,"  said  the  captain,  "in  the  latitude  of  Tossac,  and  directly 
in  front  of  it.  It  is  the  most  northerly  inhabited  spot  on  the  globe,  not 
counting  the  dwellings  of  Eskimos  at  Cape  York  and  other  points.  It 
consists  of  a  single  frame  house  with  several  huts  and  tents.  The  owner 
is  a  Dane,  and  has  command  of  the  northern  district  of  Greenland ;  he 
rules  over  a  vast  territory,  and  his  most  ninnerous  subjects  are  bears,  seals, 
and  other  denizens  of  the  regiouii  of  ice." 

"  How  far  off  are  his  neighbors?"  somebody  asked. 

"  It  is  about  iifty  miles  from  Tossac  to  Upernavik"  (U-j?ern-a-vik),  was 


ARCTIC   "HIGH   LIFE." 


281 


tlic  reply.  "The  latter  Is  tlie  capitsil  of  a  district  of  the  same  name;  tlio 
district  extends  fntiii  latitude  70*^  to  74°,  and  includes  K(»n)e  cij^ht  or  ten 
settlements,  each  with  a  local  governor  and  a  few  other  inhabitants.  In 
some  of  these  settlements  the  govenu»r  is  the  only  vhite  inhabitant,  and 
if  he  has  any  family  his  wife  is  pretty  certain  to  he  a  native. 

"Dr.  Hayes  describes  the  Governor  of  Karsuk,''  the  captain  contin- 
ued, "as  a  native  of  Denmark,  who  was  married  to  an  Eskimo  woman  and 
lived  in  a  hut  rudely  constructed  of  earth  and  stones;  but  it  differed  from 


THK   MOST  NUUTIIKUN    UOL!>E   UN    TIIK   ULOBG. 


the  native  huts  around  it  in  having;  a  section  of  government  stove-pipe 
sticking  through  the  roof,  and  in  bjing  lined  with  pine  boards^  obtained 
from  the  chief  of  the  district  at  Upernavik.  Xo  other  house  was  per- 
mitted to  be  as  elegant  as  the  governor's,  and  by  comparison  with  the  rest 
it  might  be  called  a  palace. 

"In  the  common  houses  the  family  and  the  dogs  lived  together,  but 
the  governor  had  a  separn'.e  residence  for  his  dogs  a  short  distance  from 
his  own.  His  house  had  a  window,  while  the  others  had  none  ;  and  while 
the  single  room  of  his  dwelling  was  sixteen  feet  by  twenty,  the  others 


282 


Tin:   V()YA(ii:  OF  TIIK   'VIVIAN." 


*  1- 


A    nUKKNI.AM)   COVKUNOIt. 


wore  only  eiijlit  feet  by  twelvi'.     Tliu  ijovcnior  liud  no  troMhli!  to  niiiiii- 
tiiin  liis  iiiitlioiity  with  the  few  natives  under  Iiis  eontrol.     T\\v\  piiid  the 
taxes  in  oil  and  eeal-tskins  with  great  pronn)tne!j8,  and  altogethi'r  eondiietcd 
themselves   like   well-ilisposed   hultjeets. 
The     <^(»vernnient     jxu-chases     all     the 
whalehonc;,    oil,    narwhal  -  ivory,    eider- 
down, and  other  |»i"odiict.s  ol"  the  re<j;ion 
that  the  natives  have  to  srll,  and  pays 
for  them  in  money,  or  in  goods  from  the 
storehouses." 

"And  thcv  do  one  thini'  whieh  otlier 
govennncMits  mi:;) it  iiuitiito  to  lulvan- 
taj^e,"  said  the  maj<»r;  "they  sell  to  the 
native  anythinn:  he  wants  in  the  way  of 
food,  clothinij;,  tea,  eolTee,  or  (tther  goods, 
with  the  single  exeeption  of  spirits.  All 
tralK'.  in  spii-its  is  forbidden,  and  thus 
the  natives  are  not  in  sueh  a  eonditiou 

of  demoralization  as  those  of  the  Siberian  coast.  It  is  a  pity  Russia  will 
not  follow  the  example  of  Denmark,  and  forbid  the  traffic  in  spirits  in  her 
Siberian  ports  and  aniong  tlie  natives." 

"The  rule  of  Denmark  in  Clreenland  has  been  of  tlie  most  ])atornal 
and  conciliatory  character,"  added  Dr.  Tomier.  "Its  object  has  been  to 
make  the  natives  useful  subjects,  instead  of  keeping  them  in  a  state  of 
de[)endence ;  tlusy  are  encouraged  to  be  industrious  and  provident,  and  as 
they  tind  their  rulers  set  them  a  good  example,  they  have  nearly  all  em- 
braced Christianity." 

George  wished  to  know  something  of  the  Greenland  form  of  govern- 
ment. 

"Circenland  is  a  province  of  Denmark,"  was  the  reply,  "and  the  ca)> 
ital  is  at  Julianshaab,  near  the  southern  extremity  of  the  peninsula.  It 
has  a  population  of  about  seven  thousand,  and  is  divided  into  twelve  dis- 
tricts; the  inhabitants  live  along  the  coast,  as  the  interior  is  quite  unfit 
for  human  beings  to  dwell  in.  The  governor  lives  at  Juliau-ihaab  and  has 
general  jurisdiction  over  the  (country,  but  his  power  is  far  from  absolute. 
The  six  northern  districits  aic  united  into  one  inspectorate,  and  the  six 
southern  districts  into  another.  Each  inspectorate  is  eontroUed  by  an  'in- 
spector;' the  governor  at  Jidianshaab  cannot  overturn  an  inspector's  de- 
crees, tlough  ho  mav  secure  his  removal.  Each  town  or  hunting-station 
can  send  a  representative  to  the  parliament  which  meets  at  Julianshaab; 


T!IK  OOVKKNMKNT  (»K  (iK'KKM.AM). 


2S3 


tlic  govcniment  !«  tlicroforo  one  in  wliiitli  tlio  people  have  a  voice,  iiiid 
any  inattor,  however  tri\ijil,  iiiiiy  bo  brought  up  lor  the  eoiitiiilunitioii  of 
parliiiiiient. 

"  Dr.  Haves  visited  the  Piirliament  hoiit^e. while  the  tlirttiiii;iii>he(l  ImmIv 
was  in  session.  He  t^uNs,  ' 'I'lu;  honse  is  a  (tne  st«»rv  plain  bnihlinir,  about 
sixteen  by  twenty  feet,  an<l  bnilt  of  itine  boards.  Tliert^  is  a  siM«d(^  r»  nn 
inside  whieh  contains  a  loni;  table  llanked  with  roni^h  benches,  on  which 
the  parliamentarians  hit.  'I'heio  are  twelve  nienibcrs  of  pailiainent,  and 
the  thirteenth  seat  at  the  head  of  the  fable  is  occupied  by  the  past(»r  of 
Jiilianshaab,  who  presides  over  the  sessions.  The  members  are  (b'essed 
in  seal-skin  trousers  and  Gnernsey  frocks,  and  such  a  thini^  as  a  coat  to 


^^^fr^^ivk'^^'j^H''^^^    \ 


TIIK   UOVKUNoKS    UKSIIJKNCK. 


cover  the  broad  suspenders  which  cross  the  back  would  seem  to  be  un- 
known.' 

*'  The  ijovernment  presents  a  cap  to  each  member  as  a  badi:^e  of  ofKce, 
and  this  cap  must  be  worn  while  parliament  is  in  session.  It  is  ma(h^  of 
sc;ii'let  cloth,  with  a  br  )ad  "rilt  band  around  it;  on  the  fi'ont  of  the  caj)  are 
t.jie  royal  emblems  of  Denmark,  and  above  them  the  insiirnia  (tf  the  colony 
of  Greenland,  in  the  shape  of  a  polar  bear  standing  on  his  hind-legs.     The 


2S4 


THK   VOVAfii:  OF  TMi:   "VIVIAN." 


il 


{ 


air  of  tlie  lo<;islativ(»  liiill  is  riHlolcnt  of  fish,  mid  iicurlv  all  tlio  transactions 
relati;  in  Honiu  way  to  tisliinj;  or  litintinjj;,  <jjL'nt'rally  tlio  former, 

"For  example:  while  Dr.  Iluytrt  was  prescMit  at  the  session  a  native 
came  to  present  a  petition.  He  had  lost  his  /t't/ncl-  while  tishin<^,  and  pro- 
duced eviden(t(!  that  it  was  (rriished  l>v  the  ice.  He  had  a  family  to  sno- 
port,  and  no  means  of  living:  ince  he  lo.-t  his  hoat.  l*arlian»ent  consitleieil 
his  ease,  and  sent  him  to  the  /xovermnent  storehouse  to  woi'k  at  eleven 
<-ents  a  dav ;  hib  wife  was  all  Aved  to  draw  a  bmall  allowance  of  food  for 


A   (iltKKNI.AM)   PAKI.IAMKNT    IN    SKS!<IU.N. 


herself  and  children  from  the  storehouse  every  week,  and  the  value  of  it 
was  to  he  charged  to  the  account  of  parliament. 

"There  were  several  cases  in  which  men  had  lost  their  boats  or  fishinir 
implements;  where  the  accident  was  not  caused  by  their  own  carelessness, 
and  the  sufferers  were  thrown  out  of  employment  by  their  losses,  they  were 
reind)nrsed  by  the  parlianient.  The  i-eason  of  this  is  that  it  is  desirable  to 
keep  the  peoi)le  from  idleness;  and,  fni'thermore,  the  public  revenues  are 
increased  by  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants.  In  some  cases  the  nioney  is 
not  given,  but  loaned  to  the  applicant  for  relief,  and  lie  is  allowed  to  repay 
it  in  one  or  two  years." 

"  But  suppose,"  said  Fred,  "a  man  repudiates  his  debt,  and  doesn't  pay 
at  all,  what  will  the  government  do  about  it?" 

"  If  he  does  so  from  further  misfortune,"  was  the  reply,  "  and  the 
facts  are  shown,  the  time  for  payment  is  extended  ;  but  if  his  refusal  to 
pay  is  based  on  idleness,  or  unwillingness  to  meet  his  debts,  there  is  a  very 
effective  way  of  bringing  him  to  terms." 


Tin:  SKAT  or  (iovi:un.mi:nt. 


L'Jj5 


280 


TMK    VUVA(Ji:   OF  TlIK   "VIVIAN." 


"Wlmtirttlmtr 

"The  amount  of  tlic  lonn  is  dcdimtGd  from  wlint  lie  briii'jB  to  the  ffov- 
cnimciit  htoiclioiisu  for  buIu;  uiid  if  this  plan  fiiiJH,  he  iii  not  uMowiMl  to 
buy  unythin<;  thv.n^  on  any  terms.  The  i^ovcrnmcnt  has  tho  only  hhops 
or  8toi('s  in  the  country,  and  it  is  im|>o>sihk!  to  ohtain  tea,  cofl'i'i',  sujumr, 
broad,  ^ii!ih,  H.'.hini;  impli'mcnts,  ammunition,  or  anytliiui;  cl^o,  excH'pt  at 
its  warehouhcs.  Tiiu  obstinate  man  can't  hold  out  lon<;  imdcr  these  cir- 
iMunstances.  Crinjcs  are  wvy  rare  in  (ireenland;  snnill  ones  are  punislual 
by  tines,  and  in  capital  cases  tho  accused  is  sent  to  Copcnha<;en  for  trial. 

'•Tiiev  have  hero  an  excrellont  system  for  encourai'inj'  incbisfrv.  The 
government  buys  everythin<;  the  native  has  to  sell,  and  |iays  him  in  money 
or  goods  as  he  nuiy  ])refer.     There   is  a  certain  standard  of  prices   for 


SHIPS   LOADINQ   WITH    KRYOLITE    AT   IVIKTCT,   OREENLASD. 


every  article  brought  in  by  a  native  until  he  has  readied  a  certain  figure; 
above  that  figure  there  is  a  sliding-scale  of  higher  prices  as  an  inducement 
to  industry. 

"  Perhaps  yon  may  not  fully  understand  me.  "Well,  suppose  the  stand- 
ard price  of  seal-skins  to  l)e  ten  cents,  and  that  each  man  is  expected  to 
catch  a  thousand  seals  every  year;  he  gets  ten  cents  for  each  skin,  whether 


TIIK   UOYAL  liKLENLAND   FISHING   AND  TKAUINd  COMrANV.        287 

he  hrinufs  in  a  tlioiiPiiiKl  or  <uily  n  limiflicd.  Hut  for  every  bkiti  Itetsvecn 
one  tlioiiHUiid  mid  tuelvo  liimdied  lie  r«.'(;ei\ort  twelve  cents;  lietweoii 
twelve  limidred  and  foiirteeti  liiiiHlred,  iifU'eii  (rents  a  skin;  and  Itetween 
tilfeeii  hundred  and  two  thousand  he  receives  twenty  cents  a  hkin,  or 
donhio  tlie  Hi-Ht  stamlard.  These  are  not  the  exact  tij^nreu,  hut  are  j^iven 
to  illustrate  the  system." 

George  wished  to  kiU)W  when  this  plan  was  adopted,  and  how  long 
Greenland  had  heen  under  the  ctnitrol  of  Dennuirk. 

"In  the  vcar  1781,"  said  the  Doctor,  '  the  Iloval  Cireetdand  Fishlni' 
and  Trailin<j;  ('(  inpany  wa»  formed  on  nuich  the  name  plan  as  the  Hudson 
]5ay  and  the  Kast  India  comj)anies.  It  received  a  charter  |i;ivini(  it  the 
exclusive  control  oi  conunerce  in  Greenland  and  the  iiMina^cment  of  the 
natives;  fortumitely  the  company  was  in  the  hands  <»f  men  who  thoujrht 


more  o 


f  duiii 


>ir  trood  amon;;  tne  savaj'es  tnan  o 


)f  mal 


Kmir  inone 


y 


Its  profits. 


while  fair,  have  not  heen  larj^e,  and  the  prosperity  of  the  ])eopIe  has  heen 
carefully  looked  after.  Spirits  and  other  injiuious  thinu;s  have  heen  ex- 
eluded,  and  no  foreigner  is  allowed  to  trade  with  any  Danish  snhject  in 
Greenland.  The  natives  have  all  the  civilization  they  need,  and  for  more 
than  a  century  everythinji^  has  gone  on  i)eaceahly." 

Here  the  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  announcement  thrl  tlicy 
would  soon  be  in  the  harbor  of  Upernavik,  uidess  prevented  by  accident. 


ENTERING   A   HARBOR   IN   GREENLAND. 


II.  u,  I 


288 


THE  VOYAGE   OF  THE  "VIVIAN." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

SIGHTS   IN  GREENLAND.— NEWS  FROM  HOME.— END  OF  THE  VOYAGE. 

AS  they  neared  the  shore  Fred  espied  a  boat  of  a  different  construction 
from  the  hyaclc^  but  evidently  of  native  manufacture.  It  was  com- 
inj5  out  of  a  narrow  passage  near  one  of  the  islands,  and  the  crew  was 
evidently  having  a  good  time,  to  judge  by  the  laughter  that  rung  over  the 
water. 

Fred  called  the  attention  of  his  friends  to  the  novel  craft,  and  wondered 
what  it  was. 

"  That  is  an  onmiaJc^  or  women's  boat,"  said  the  captain.  "  If  you 
permit  an  Irish  bull,  you  may  say  it  is  manned  by  women." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  all  the  crew  are  women  V  asked  tlie  youth  ;  "  there 
are  six  or  eight  at  the  oars,  and  one  in  the  stern  with  the  steering-oar." 


AN    OOMIAK. 


"Those  at  the  oars  are  certainly  women,"  replied  the  captain,  "and  the 
other  may  be  either  a  man  or  a  woman.     This  is  how  it  happens: 

"  The  lajack  that  you  saw  at  Littleton  Island  is  a  man's  boat,  and 
women  are  not  allowed  to  use  it.  The  open  boat,  sucli  as  you  see,  is  only 
for  women,  and  a  man  would  consider  himself  disgraced  by  being  one  of 


11 


BOATS  ROWED  BY  WOMEN. 


289 


its  crew.  He  nii^lit  sit  in  the  stern  and  steer  the  boat,  but  it  would  be 
contrary  to  custom  for  him  to  handle  an  oar." 

"Anyway  it  is  a  comfortable  looking  craft,"  replied  the  youth,  "and 
the  women  seem  to  understand  perfectly  how  to  manage  it." 

"They  are  very  expert  in  the  management  of  tlie  oomiah^''  was  the 
response, "  and  are  accustomed  to  it  from  infancy.  The  boat  is  apparently 
frail  in  construction,  but  it  can  sail  well,  and  is  of  great  use  to  the  natives 
for  purposes  of  transportation,  A  hijack  is  Mitended  for  hunting  and  tish- 
ing,  and  has  no  place  for  carrying  anything  more  tlian  its  occupant,  while 
an  ooitiiak  can  hold  a  great  deal  of  freight." 

Further  investigation  led  to  a  description  of  this  style  of  boat. 

The  oomlah  may  be  anywhere  from  fifteen  to  forty  feet  in  length.  It 
consists  of  a  framework  of  poles  securely  lashed  together  with  thongs  of 
seal-skin,  and  held  apart  at  the  top  by  thwarts  which  serve  as  seats.  The 
bottom  is  flat,  and  has  a  rude  floor,  but  a  stranger  must  step  very  carefully 
to  keep  his  feet  from  going  through  the  bottom. 

When  the  framework  is  ready  it  is  covered  with  seal-skins,  and  as  no 
single  skin  can  be  largo  enough  for  a  boat,  there  must  be  a  number  of 
skins  sewn  together.  The  women  perform  this  work  with  sinews,  and 
they  do  it  so  well  that  not  a  drop  of  water  can  leak  through.  The  frame 
is  turned  bottom  upward  and  the  covering  is  spread  over  it,  and  fastened 
to  the  rail  with  strong  thongs.  When  'le  covering  iii  put  on  it  is  moist ; 
it  shrivels  as  it  dries  in  the  sun,  and  becomes  hard  as  leather,  but  it  is  so 
full  of  oil  that  it  has  a  very  slippery  feeling.  It  is  impervious  to  water, 
and  will  last  a  long  time  unless  brought  against  hard  substances.  When 
it  dries  it  becomes  translucent,  and  when  you  are  a  passenger  in  an  oomiak 
you  can  see  how  deep  you  are  in  the  water  without  looking  over  the  side. 

The  next  da}^  Fred  had  an  opportunity  to  inspect  an  oom'iaJc  which 
was  drawn  up  on  the  beach  at  Upernavik,  and  also  to  have  a  near  view 
of  its  crew.  It  is  safe  to  say  he  was  fully  as  much  interested  in  the  latter 
as  in  the  former. 

The  crew  consisted  of  seven  voung  women,  six  of  them  "  before  the 
mast,"  wliile  the  seventh  was  the  commander.  Their  costume  was  the 
funniest  that  the  youth  had  ever  seen  worn  by  a  boat's  crew,  and  he  was 
quite  sure  it  would  make  a  sensation  among  the  young  ladies  of  his  ac- 
quaintance who  are  fond  of  rowing. 

The  dress  was  of  furs  and  skins.  Beginning  at  the  feet,  there  were 
long  boots  of  seal-skin  reaching  to  the  knee,  where  they  met  pantaloons  of 
the  same  nuiterial ;  the  boots  were  of  various  colors,  and  some  of  them 
quite  tastefully  painted,  and  the  trousers  had  bright  stripes  on  the  side  or 

19 


M    '  ■ 


2U0 


THE   VOYAGK   OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


ill  front,  formed  by  sewing  in  pieces  of  leather  of  bi-ight  lines.  Above 
the  trousers  was  a  jacket,  witli  a  bright  stripe  jnst  below  tiie  waist,  and 
terminating  at  the  throat  in  white  fur  or  some  other  ornamental  material. 
The  hair  was  gathered  in  a  knot  at  the  top  of  the  head,  and  altogether  the 
eostnme  of  these  Greenland  boat-women  was  by  no  means  nnhandsome. 


TUK    OOMIAK   A.ND   ITS   CltEW. 


Fred  asked  what  were  the  uses  to  which  this  boat  was  applied.  lie 
was  told  that  it  carried  the  governor  wherever  he  wished  to  go  in  tlie 
neighborhood ;  and  when  the  men  went  out  hunting  or  fishing  in  their 
hjacks,  the  women  frequently  followed  in  the  oom'iah  to  bring  home  the 
game  or  lisli  that  might  be  obtained.  "They  go  long  distances,"  said  his 
informant,  "  and  the  women  do  not  hesitate  to  go  out  in  any  kind  of 
weather."  Ordinai'ily  the  boat  is  rowed  by  its  crew,  but  it  has  a  mast, 
and  when  the  wind  is  fair  a  sail  is  spread  and  the  l^reeze  utilized.  If  the 
owner  can  afford  to  buy. canvas  for  his  sail,  it  is  made  out  of  that  material; 
but  if  he  cannot  endure  the  expense,  the  sail  is  made  of  seal-skins. 

There  are  two  anchorages  at  Upernavik,  one  being  an  open  roadstead, 
where  ships  have  no  shelter  from  southerly  or  westerly  winds,  while  the 
other  is  a  landlocked  harbor.  The  former  is  directl}'  in  front  of  the  set- 
tlement, and  is  used  by  ships  that  intend  to  remain  only  a  few  hours;  the 
latter  is  behind  the  town,  and  beyond  a  rocky  ridge,  but,  though  giving 
perfect  shelter  to  ships,  it  is  not  very  easy  to  enter.  Captain  Jones  de- 
cided to  anchor  in  the  outer  harbor  until  they  could  communicate  with 
the  governor,  and  determine  whether  they  would  proceed  at  once  or  re- 
main a  few  days. 


ARKIVAL   IN  A  GREENLAND  PORT. 


2!)1 


Major  Clapp  and  Dr.  Tonner  wtMit  cm  shore  as  soon  as  the  Vivian  liad 
ancliored,  and  made  a  call  ni>oti  the  ins[)ector.  The  latter  said  he  was  ex- 
pecting ships  from  the  South,  but  none  had  arrived,  with  the  exception  of 
two  or  three  Scotch  whalers  who  had  gone  forward  to  look  for  whales  in 
Melville  I>ay.  The  yearly  ship  from  Copenhagen  would  be  due  in  a  few 
days — in  fact,  sh.o  might  arrive  at  any  moment — and  meantime  the  stran- 
gers were  welcome  to  anything  in  his  power  to  give  them. 

He  was  greatly  surprised  on  learning  the  route  by  which  the  Vivian 
had  arrived  at  Upernavik,  and  heartily  congrattdated  our  friends  on  their 
success  in  reaching  the  ])ole.  He  said  that  a  sui>ply  of  provisions  and  live 
hundred  tons  of  coal  had  been  left  there  the  ])revious  year  by  an  Ameri- 
can war-ship,  for  the  use  of  any  exi)loring  expedition  that  might  need  it, 
and  especially  any  ship  fiom  the  United  States. 


;!(i 


UPKUNAVIK. 


The  major  and  Doctor  returned  to  the  Vivian  with  the  information 
they  had  obtained.  Commander  Jbonsou  said  he  thought  no  one  could 
have  a  better  right  to  the  coal  than  themselves;  he  had  exjjected  to  find 
coal  at  Ui)ernavik  and  was  not  disappointed.     The  engineer  reported  that 


292 


THE   VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


:;i 


u 


tl:* 


ft  i 


If 


v'    I   i 


tlicy  Imd  lcs3  tliau  seven  tons  loiiirtining,  ami  therefore  a  new  supply 
would  be  very  a(H;oi)tiible. 

The  Vivian  iiniiiediately  proceeded  to  the  inner  harbor,  and  in  a  little 
while  M'as  safely  anchored  where  no  ordinary  wind  could  distui'b  her. 
While  she  was  beini^  taken  from  the  outer  to  the  inner  anchorage,  Com- 
mander I'rouson  went  on  shore  with  the  major  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  in- 
si>ector,  and  arrange  for  such  assistance  as  th(!y  could  have  f(tr  taking  in 
coal.  Fivd  and  (Jeorge  occujjied  their  time  in  an  inspection  of  Uperna- 
vik,  and  as  the  })lace  was  snuill  it  did  not  take  long. 

The  inspector's  h(»nso  was,  as  might  be  expected,  the  most  elaborate 
building;  but  even  that  was  not  large.  There  were  about  twenty  other 
houses,  all  occupied  by  Eskimos,  and  altogether  the  town  had  less  than  a 
hundred  inhabitants.  There  were  a  u;ot)d  many  doijrs  wand(!rin<;  about: 
some  of  them  were  iiutlined  to  familiarity  not  of  a  friendly  nature,  but  by 
vigorous  nourishing  of  sticks  and  Hinging  an  occasional  stone  they  kept 
the  brutes  from  doing  harm.  The  houses  were  anything  but  cleanly  in 
ap[)earance,  and  neither  of  the  youths  h;',d  any  desire  for  a  pernuinent  res- 
idence in  llpernavik. 

IJack  of  the  settlement,  and  on  the  slope  of  the  ridge  separating  it 
from  the  inner  harbor,  is  the  cemetery.  There  are  crosses  and  stones  to 
indicate  the  position  of  the  graves,  and  little  enclosures  (or  mounds)  of 
stone.  Very  little  vegetation  can  be  seen  at  llpernavik,  and  the  ground 
is  so  hard  that  there  is  rarely  any  attempt  to  dig  deeply  to  foi'ui  a  gi'ave. 
Bodies  are  phuted  on  the  surface  and  covered  with  stoii'^s:  unless  the  work 
is  thoroughly  done,  the  renuiins  become  exposed  in  course  of  time.  The 
youths  foimd  one  of  the  coffins  nearly  uncovered,  and  through  its  broken 
lid  the  occupant  coidd  be  plainly  discerned. 

The  inspector  returned  the  visit  of  the  officers  of  the  Vioimi,  and  re- 
mained to  dine  with  them.  Most  of  the  men  of  Upernavik  were  away  in 
pursuit  of  seal  or  walrus,  and  the  inspector  said  he  would  not  be  able  to 
give  any  assistance  in  loading  the  coal  beyond  showing  the  best  way  of 
getting  around  the  harbor.  There  were  two  whale-boats  in  the  harbor, 
which  he  kindly  loaned  to  the  captain;  the  latter  said  that  by  using  these 
boats  he  could  easily  load  in  two  or  three  days  all  the  coal  he  needed  for 


getting  to  Xew  Yoi'k. 


A  hundred  tons  of  coal  were  taken  on  board  by  using  the  whale-boats 
as  barges,  and  towing  them  back  and  forth  between  shij)  and  shore.  "While 
the  coaling  was  in  progress  the  inspector  asked  Commander  Bronson  and 
his  officers  to  take  tea  with  him  ;  the  invitation  included  Fred  and  George, 
Cind  was  gladly  accepted  by  all  concerned. 


RKCEITION   IN   TIIK   INSPKCTOK'S   HOUSE. 


293 


id  re- 


Thc  lioiipc  was  cotnfortable,  tlioiigli  not  larnfo,  and  our  friends  passed  a 
didiij;litfid  hour  in  tl'c  society  of  the  host  and  liis  family.  They  had  tea 
and  coffee,  and  a  variety  of  little  cakes  and  ^ood  thijii^s  ])r(^pared  by  the 
lady  of  the  honsc?,  toi^cther  with  some  cainied  fruits  which  came  from 
Europe  or  Ainericra.  They  wore  particidarly  struck  with  tlu^  {lowers  which 
were  kejtt  i:;rowinuj  in  the  windows  of  the  house,  and  learned  that  eveiy 
iiduihitant  of  (ireenland  who  can  affoid  it  keeps  an  abundance  of  liviui; 
]>lants  in  his  dwelliu*'.  Dr.  Tomier  said  he  had  obs(!rved  the  same  thini; 
in  Siberia,  where  tiie  homes  of  people  in  comfortable  circumstances  often 
resemble  conservatories. 


!ir 


TJIE    INflPIXTOU   AM)    I11.S    FAMILY. 


AVhen  the  coal  was  all  on  board,  and  farewell  visits  had  been  made  to 
the  governor's  house,  the  order  for  departure  was  given.  Just  as  the  an- 
chor left  the  bottom,  and  the  ship  was  beginning  to  move,  a  native  came 


204 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE   "VIVIAN." 


paddling  his  hyock  into  the  liarbor  in  great  haste,  and  yelling  at  the  top  of 
his  voice. 

It  was  not  easy  to  make  ont  his  meaning,  but  a  streak  of  smoke  on  the 
sky  served  as  an  interpreter.     A  steamer  was  coming! 

The  engines  were  stopped,  and  the  anchor  dropped  once  more  to  tlie 
hotlom.  The  cloud  of  smoke  increased,  and  in  a  little  while  a  steamer 
Hying  the  American  flag  came  in  sight  in  front  of  Upernavik  and  cast  an- 
chor in  the  outer  harbor.  The  crew  of  the  y  voian  cheered  lustily  as  they 
caught  sight  of  their  national  banner,  and  there  were  tears  of  joy  in  the  eyes 
of  our  young  friends.  Our  country's  flag  is  a  most  welcome  sight  when 
we  are  far  from  home  and  in  a  foreign  land.  Especially  dear  must  it  have 
seemed  to  those  arctic  explorers  after  their  sojourn  of  two  long  winters  in 
the  regions  around  the  pole ! 


THE   NEW   ARRIVAL. 


It  was  a  ship  of  the  United  States  Nav}',  and  as  soon  as  the  anchor  was 
dropped  she  sent  an  ofl[icer  on  board  the  Vivian,  with  a  letter-bag  addressed 
to  Connnander  Bronson.  And  what  recent  dates  !  Twenty-two  days  from 
New  York  !  It  seemed  to  carry  them  home  in  an  instant,  and  for  a  while 
some  of  the  party  forgot  that  they  were  }et  in  the  far  North  and  within 
the  Arctic  Circle. 

There  were  letters  for  everybody — for  Fred  and  George,  as  well  as  for 
the  eldei's  of  the  party,  and  also  for  the  junior  ofticers  and  the  crew.  For 
an  hour  or  more  there  was  silence  on  board  the  ship  as  the  seals  were  bro- 
ken and  the  contents  of  the  missives  eagerly  devoured. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


205 


The  majority  of  tlic  letters  were  private,  and  therefore  wo  will  not  ex- 
amine them.  Fred  wondered  how  it  had  been  found  out  that  tliey  were 
coming  that  way,  and  why  a  ship  had  been  sent  to  meet  them  at  Uperna- 
vik.  A  slij)  cut  from  a  news[)ai)er  and  enclosed  in  one  of  his  letters  told 
the  story.     It  read  as  f(jllows : 

"  It  will  be  remembered  tlmt  in  October  of  lust  year  a  wild-goose  was  killed  on  Lake  St.  Clmrles, 
near  Quebec,  wliieli  had  the  words  "  Vivian,  Xorth-pole,  June  9,  18 — ,"  stamped  on  the  feathers  of 
one  wing.  As  the  Vivian  was  known  to  have  gone  in  search  of  the  pole,  the  stunip  is  supposed  to 
indicate  the  accomplishment  of  her  object.  It  was  thouglit  she  would  return  by  way  of  Smith's 
Sound,  if  possible,  and  the  Government  will  send  a  steamer  in  the  hope  of  meeting  her  at  one  of 
the  Greenland  ports  early  in  July.  Letters  intended  for  this  ship  should  be  sent  in  care  of  the 
commandant  at  the  Brooklyn  Xavy  Yard  not  later  than  June  10th.  The  steamer  will  pr()ceed  north 
as  far  as  uscy  be  consistent  with  safety,  and  if  no  news  is  obtained  of  the  explorers,  it  will  return 
to  New  York  during  the  month  of  September." 

So  it  was  one  of  the  carrier-pi<;eons,  improvised  acciordinir  to  George's 
suggestion,  that  gave  the  news  of  the  Vivian  and  her  successful  voyage  to 
the  North-pole ! 

Both  ships  remained  at  Upernavik  long  enough  for  the  Vit'ian  to  re- 
ceive a  plentiful  supply  of  all  the  provisions  she  needed  for  her  voyage  to 
New  York.  They  sailed  together,  but  were  sepai-ated  in  a  gale  just  after 
passing  Cape  Farewell,  at  the  southern  extremity  of  Greenland,  and  did 
not  meet  again  until  they  were  off  Fire  Island,  about  forty  miles  from 
Sandy  Hook.  Almost  side  by  side  they  crossed  the  bar  and  entered  the 
capacious  harbor  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson  River,  made  a  brief  halt  at 
Quarantine,  and  then  continued  on  their  course  till  they  dropped  anchor 
between  the  Battery  and  Bedloe's  Island.  Tlte  Vivian  thus  completed  the 
voyage  from  the  Golden  Gate  to  Manhattan  Island  by  way  of  the  north- 
west passage  and  the  polar  sea. 

Four  days  after  her  arrival  a  telegram  from  Granton,  Scotland,  an- 
nounced that  the  Gamhetta  had  reached  Reykjavik,  in  Iceland,  and  after 
taking  coal  and  stores  would  proceed  to  Havre.  The  youths  could  not 
understand  why  the  telegram  should  be  dated  at  Granton  until  the  major 
informed  them  that  Hiere  was  a  line  of  steamers  between  that  port  and 
Reykjavik.  "  We  shall  probably  i-e(teive  letters  from  our  Fi-ench  friends," 
said  he,  "as  soon  as  the  mail  can  bring  them,  and  also  the  letter-bag  we 
intrusted  to  the  Gamhetta.  They  would  be  very  sure  not  to  miss  the 
steamer  to  Granton." 

Sure  enough,  the  Liverpool  steamer,  a  fortnight  later,  brought  the 
ViviarCs  letter-bag  for  the  Xavy  Department,  and  also  a  packet  of  letters 
in  care  of  the  postmaster  of  New  York.     The  packet  was  to  be  delivered 


!  i 


290 


THE   VOYAGE  OE  THE   "VIVIAN." 


REYKJAVIK,   ICELAND. 


to  Commander  Bronson,  or  any  officer  of  the  Vivian,  or  held  to  await  tlic 

arrival  of  that  vessel.     Among-  tlie  letters  was  one  for  George  from  the 

Yonng  officer  who  assisted  him  in  the  preparation  of  "  Parry  and  Paris." 

With  George's  permission  we  translate  the  material  part  of  his  friend's 

missive : 

*  -x-  *'*  *  *  4e-  * 

"  After  separating  from  the  Vivian  we  steered  sonth-east,  and  reached 
the  meridian  of  Greenwich  ahont  latitude  85°.  There  we  encountered 
much  ice,  and  hesitated  two  or  three  days  before  entering  the  pack,  which 
contained  so  many  bergs  as  to  be  very  dangerous.  At  last  we  found  an 
opening  in  the  pack,  and  worked  our  way  slowl}'  through  the  lanes  and 
among  t!ie  floes  to  latitude  84°.  There  the  pack  closed  in  npon  ns,  and 
we  had  a  narrow  escape  from  being  (trushed  between  two  enorincs  floes. 
With  a  great  deal  of  difficulty  we  sawed  and  blasted  away  the  ice  sufficient- 
ly to  reduce  the  pressure,  and  bring  the  vessel  to  an  even  keel. 


THE   END  OF  THE   VOYAGE. 


297 


"We  found  that  the  Ico  wiis  driftinjif  southward,  tho  same  as  in  Cu|»- 
tain  Pane's  sledge  journey,  and  for  some  time  wu  had  hcjpes  that  it  woiiM 
enaltle  us  to  j:ijet  out  before  tlie  elose  of  tho  season.  JJut  our  proi^ress  was 
so  slow  that  the  end  of  Anyjust  fouiul  us  in  latitude  81°  2<»'  north,  loni^i- 
tiide  20°  east,  and  it  became  necessary  to  look  for  winter-quarters.  On 
the  1st  of  Septeujber  the  ice  opened  sufliciently  to  enable  ns  to  enter  a 
small  bay  in  the  most  westerly  of  the  'Seven  Islands,'  and  as  soon  as  we 
were  inside  it  closed  again.  Wo  had  hoped  to  reach  Ilecla  Cove,  where 
Parry's  shij)  renniined  during  his  attempt  to  reach  the  pole,  but  this  was 
impossible,  owing  to  the  drift  of  the  ice. 

"  We  passed  the  winter  in  much  the  same  way  as  the  previous  one, 
but  missed  greatly  the  company  of  our  good  friends  the  Americans.  We 
■were  in  less  danger  from  the  ice  than  before,  on  account  of  the  shelter 
which  our  bay  nlforded,  and  we  were  able  to  make  limiting  excm-sions  on 
the  ice.  We  found  that  tho  Dutch  navigators  had  been  there  before  us, 
and  on  the  rockv  shores  there  were  the  skeletons  of  unfortunate  sailors 
who  had  died  there.  The  solid  ground  makes  it  imi)ossible  to  dig  a  grave, 
and  the  only  mode  of  sepulture  is  to  place  the  cofhn  on  the  ground  hikI 
cover  it  with  a  few  stones.  Sometimes  even  this  was  not  done,  and  in 
course  of  time  the  skeletons  became  lieshless  through  the  action  of  the 
winds  and  the  intense  cold. 

"In  the  spring  w'e  had  some  hunting  experiences,  and  made  sledge 
journeys  over  tho  ice  to  tho  northern  extremity  of  Spitzbergen,  but  dis- 
covered nothing  of  importance.  We  were  all  glad  when  the  breaking  up 
of  the  ice  released  us,  and  the  drift  carried  us  to  the  westward.  We 
escai)ed  from  the  ice-fields  without  serious  injury,  and  then  sailed  past 
the  island  of  Jan  Mayen  to  Iceland.  We  tried  to  land  on  Jan  IMayen,  but 
M'ere  prevented  by  the  fog,  which  made  it  extremely  dangerous  to  seek  a 
harbor.  From  Jan  Mayen  wo  sailed  to  Keykjavik,  and  here  we  are  once 
more  in  connnunication  with  tho  civilized  world.  Wo  hoped  to  learn  soine- 
thincT  about  tho  Vivian  on  our  arrival  here,  but  are  disapj)ointed  ;  we  shall 
look  for  letters  from  you  when  we  reach  Havre,  and  feel  confident  that 

vou  will  uot  bo  far  behind  us  in  i-eaching  homo." 

*  -X-  *****  * 

Letters  had  been  sent  to  Havre,  bearing  the  congratulations  of  the  Viv- 
iaii's  party  to  all  on  board  the  Gainhetta,  immediately  on  tho  publication 
of  the  despatch  from  Granton ;  consequently  each  expedition  learned  of 
the  safety  of  the  other.     And  so  ends  the  story  of 


THE  "VIVIAN'S"  VOYAGE. 


Y 


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